


The Damned

by HangingBranch



Category: Adventure Time, Gravity Falls, Over the Garden Wall (Cartoon)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-05
Updated: 2016-07-31
Packaged: 2018-05-11 20:47:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 24
Words: 64,308
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5641360
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HangingBranch/pseuds/HangingBranch
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dipper wakes up to find out that Bill has stolen his body, again. During his pursuit, 'Bipper' and Dipper are sent to a separate world to which they must work together to return home. But they are not alone.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. In Wake

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fanfiction. I am both excited and nervous about its publication here. If you see any mistakes in my writing or grammar don't be afraid to leave a comment. I also cannot tell if you are or not enjoying my story unless you say so. Please be respectful and courteous. Thank you.

    I wanted to scream and show the world my frustrations I was suffering through with this literal demon. I couldn't even have a normal morning, day, week.. who am I kidding, life. I mean seriously, isn't there someone else he can torment, like there has to be someone, right? I still am waiting to know what I did to deserve this. Maybe the world hates me.

    Why am I ranting like this? Well it began earlier this day. The sun was shining through the window, filling the room with it's tender beams. The air was gentle and light. The sounds of the house were subtle and soothing.

    At least until a pecking sound echoed off the window, penetrating my ear drums. I turned over and over in hopes that would dull the sound which was of no use as the sound continued. I rubbed my eye as the other opened with the lifting of my head. And to my eye I spied a bluebird, sitting on the window's ledge. It stared back at me for a moment before turning and flying off. I yawned as I began to tuck my head into my rested arms only to see the empty bed below me.

    "Ah!" I yelped and flew backwards, passing partly through the ceiling behind me. I quickly flew back in as I gazed down at my hands and body, seeing my transparent self dressed in my nightwear. "Wha.. what happened? Why am I.." I stopped. "Bill." I gazed towards the bed on the other side of the room to see it empty. "Mabel?" Turning around, I passed through the door and to my ears came the sound of rustling from down the stairs. I followed the sound until I came upon a tookish sticking out of the eye socket of the skull side table sitting next to Uncle Stan's recliner. And as I came closer, they pulled their head out with a pop. With the turn their head, their eyes gazed at an item within their hand, and was to be shoved into their vest pocket before the spheres within their head moved across the room. Then upon me their yellow stare did come. An overly wide smile grew upon the very same face that I knew too well.  
    "Well morning Pine Tree. Or should I say noon?" He stood up and dusted off his knees. "You know you sleep much better when you're out of your meatsack. You should really consider me borrowing it more often." My arms came crossed over my chest as I stared down at him.  
    "No I shouldn't." My eyes were hard and calculating while his were cold and watching. Neither wavering in the slightest. Okay, mine wavered but he probably didn't notice. He gazed down at the near wall for only a moment.  
    "Ah it doesn't matter. You don't have a say anyway." Bill brought his gaze back up, a leer now radiating in his eyes. He then headed for the kitchen and began looking through the cupboards. I kept my face stern and still to mask the displeasure I felt at hearing those words.  
    "Whatever you're up to, you're not going to win." Bill then maneuvered towards the fridge, opening it up, and grabbed multiple items, shoving them into his pockets, out of sight.  
    "You still think that? And I thought I had a thick skull. Just kidding, I have twelve."  
    "Yes I do because Mabel and I are going to defeat you again. And this time we have Unkle Ford and he's going to get rid of you for good." Bill's smile turned crooked as he gave a short chuckle.  
    "Okay."

    Slam went the fridge door, shaking the taxidermy wolf head on top and jars sitting upon the nearby counter. With the spin of the heal, he turned and made his way through the kitchen, passing through me then the doorway, before making a hard right and going out of sight.  
    "Bill! " I followed him around the corner to see the back door closing. "That's not what I meant!" A thump echoed from beyond the door accompanied with a soft laugh. I poked my head through the door to see my body laying in front of the back porch, face within the dirt. Then like the jump of a flee, his head popped up, and laughed.  
    "Heh. Gotta remember that gravity stuff." He then pushed himself up and ran into the gulf cart. As he was bulking up, I flew towards him and he spoke, "Well doesn't this feel familiar?" In reverse he put the gear and down on the petal he pushed, sending him backwards in a screeching motion.  
    "Bill!" To my cry, he changed gear and drove off, a cloud of dust left in his wake. I slowed, putting an arm over my eyes only to realized too late that no dust could become caught within them. As I looked up, I could see nothing but the remaining dust in the air.

    "Woah! What was that?" called a voice from the other side of the Shack. Out stepped a large figure. There stood Soos in his green question mark tee, beige shorts, and brown cap; who looked outward toward the dissipating cloud of dirt. I flew towards him, calling for him, only to see he was ignorant of my presence as he shrugged, saying, "Oh well," turned, and walked straight through me while humming a dodedodedo. That will always be odd. I thought for a moment before I snapped my fingers with an idea. I turned to see him walk into the Shack, to which I followed. Once in, I flew upward, entering the attic. I turned and looked until I saw a pile of my own clothing and went to search it. Soon enough, I had a sock within my clutches. I slipped it onto my hand before going through the floor head first, only for the sock to slip off as I passed. I quickly stopped to look at my palm then headed back up. I put the sock back on and use it to open the attic door and fly down the stairs. Around the corner I turned, following the hall, and entering the living quarters.

    As I got to the door, I stuck my head through and saw Mabel and Soos, speaking to each other about Ducktective, a mother and her young daughter looking at an overly fake oddity display. I pull back and slowly open the door and slip through, shutting it quietly. A small click being the only sound made, drawing the little girl's attention, who stared at the sock attached to the door handle. She continued to hold this gaze until her mother pulled her aside to view the items on "sale." To this she complained, saying she wanted to go and look at the wormy. I then moved, keeping my hand low to draw as little attention as possible.  
    As I neared the till, I began to whisper, "Pst. Mabel. Pst." using the sock to mouth my words. Soon enough, she looked over, her eyes partly clouded in confusion as she looked around. "Down here."  
    Down her head turned, and more clouded her eyes became, "Soos, do you see a floating sock?" came her whispered words.  
    Over Soos looked at me, "It does." His eyes went wide, "Oh man, that reminds me of a dream," and then began to look around. "I hope it's not the one with the vampire polar bears."  
    "Mommy? Are there really vampire polar bears?" The little girl asked, listening in on the conversation. The mother looked down upon the child from the overpriced Man of Mystery bobble head, shaking her head.  
    "Of course not. There were no exhibits of them like the Six-pack O' Lope or the Cheapskate. They're the real deal."  
    "Did you remember to feed him?" Mabel whispered to Soos to which he lifted up an empty bag of dog food and shook it.  
    "Yeah. He ate the whole bag." The little girl then pointed to me with determination in her large brown eyes.  
    "Then what about floating sock wormies?"  
    "There are no.." the mother began, then stopped as her eyes laid upon the hovering cloth. She then screamed, causing Soos, Mabel, I and the little girl to flinch at its piercing volume. The woman then grabbed the child's arm and wrenching her out of the Shack, continuing to yell so as she entered her vehicle, took off, and so on until she was no longer within hearing distance.  
    "What a weirdo." Mabel commented, rubbing at her temples.  
    "What!?" Soos yelled with his hands still on his ears. Mabel hit his arm which he flinched at, laughing "Just kidding," as he rubbed his bicep.

    "Guys! A little help would be appreciated." The two directed their attention at me. Mabel's expression transferred to one of realization as Soos took on a slight fog of suspicion. Soos then partly hid behind the counter, an eye being kept on the sock.  
    "You're not going to bring the werewolf penguin and polar bear war here, are you?"  
    "Soos. It's Dipper." Mabel got up from the tall stool only to be blocked by the mass of a large arm.  
    "Nah ah Dag. I saw Dipper walking around the Shack all morning. It looked pretty funny looking though."  
    "Was he smiling like a fool?" Soos brought up a look of thought before speaking.  
    "No. More like a psychopathic killer."  
    "And did he have yellow eyes?" He brought his finger to his chin before answering.  
    "I thought he was trying out some new rad contacts."  
    "No, that's Bill." A gasp erupted from his throat.  
    "You mean the triangle guy that went into your Grunkle Stan's mind?" Soos asked, bringing his hands to the sides of his rounded face.  
    "The very same." I said as Mabel walked up to the sock upon my hand. Her eyes rippled in worry as her mouth became set like a straight line.  
    "Dude, did he like.. turn you into a sock?" Soos inquired.  
    "No, he took my body and ran off. Do you know where Ford is?" With those words, Mabel's expression changed like as though a curtain had prematurely dropped.  
    "Grunkle Stan said he left sometime before sunrise before we woke up. Something about some weird pixie sample or something."  
    "Oh. Well where's Grunkle Stan? Maybe he can help."  
    "Stan went to take care of some business and left me in charge." Soos declared, pointing his thumb at his chest.  
    "What kind of business?"  
    "I think it had something to do with 'buying' some taxidermy animals for some more attractions." Mabel added, air quoting the word "buying."  
    "What about Wendy?"  
    "She took her five minute break." Soos said.  
    "How long ago?"  
    "About fifteen minutes ago."  
    I couldn't hold in my sigh, "Then that just leaves us."  
    "Well, let's get started," Mabel stated, straightening up. "So, do you know where Bill is so we can kick his butt?"  
    "I don't, he took off in the gulf cart down the road about a minute ago." I aim my sight at Mabel, brows slightly furrowed and eyes locked on her. " And I hope you mean after we get him out."  
    "Of course." She replied with her shoulders shrugged.  
    "Well should we get heading after him?" Soos asked, pointing towards the door. I held my chin, the other wrapped around my waist. I remove the one from my chin and faced it towards the two.  
    "First we need a plan, this is Bill we're talking about." Mabel made a raspberry as she waved her hands in the air.  
    "Or we can do what we did last time and tire him out." And around she turned, heading to the door. "Come on, let's go."  
    "Sounds good to me." And Soos followed.  
    I yelled, "Hey! Guys!" Only for it to be fallen by the already closed door. My shoulders dropped before stiffening and eyes softening before growing cold. Of course my words fall upon deaf ears once more. "Ugh. Wait for me."


	2. Do We

    Soos got into his pickup, Mabel hopping into the passenger seat, bulking up as I flew behind them. We followed the curving tracks down the road, nearly running off the road multiple times.  
    "With the way his tracks are going I'll be surprised if he didn't.." Mabel began before Soos slammed on the brakes. I tried to stop, but with momentum still pushing me I passed through the vehicle with a yelp and until I was only hovering before the vehicle. And ahead of me it laid. The gulf cart turned onto its side, lying against a single tree, crushed like an accordion.

    "Whoa dude." Soos said as he turned off the engine. Both he and Mabel then stepped out and walked closer. I felt a hollowness grow and fill with a complexity of emotions as they began to swirl within me. I wanted to scream, I wanted to cry, I wanted to fight, but mostly I didn't want to believe it. Mabel grabbed the sock my hand was in as it hung limply at my side. I didn't even notice her move.  
    "Dipper I.." Her voice choked, her eyes moist, and her hold stiff. I pulled my hand out of her grasp and moved away. She stared at me then turned around, and stood next to Soos, eyes aimed at the ground, who put his hand on her shoulder. I looked again at the scene. I knew I shouldn't but I did. I flew closer, something in me pulling me closer to the scene. I needed proof. As I drew nearer I felt my stomach clench, my mouth dry, and my hands clam. The sound of sniffling reached my ears through the cloth it was being projected in. I had to know. I closed my eyes, leaned over the edge, then barely peaked through my lids.

    Relief flooded through my non-physical body. A breath released that I had not known I was holding. I held my hand to my chest as I tried to speak, my mouth not working. After a few deep breaths I spoke, "It's empty." Up Mabel turned her head as she looked over at me. She came over and spied over.  
    Then quickly, her face fell just as mine did. "Where is he?" We looked turned our heads as we gazed over the area. Nothing came to my eye nor it seemed to Mabel's.         "Uh Dudes." Soos walked partly into the woods and picked something up. He turned around and held a blue and white trucker hat in his grasp. Mabel and I looked towards the trees behind him.  
    "Well that narrows it down." Mabel commented.  
    "Yeah, to about the whole forest." Mabel hopped forward her back facing me, her voice sprinkled in stiffness.  
    "Come on, it wasn't that long ago. He couldn't have gone gone that far."  
    "Yeah, we'll catch him in no time." Soos said, pumping his fist. I hovered for a moment as the two started forward. I looked down at the ground and jumped at the eye enclosed in three sides stared at me made of rocks placed in the dirt. Doubt crawled over the web of my mind as I continued my gaze. "You coming little dude." Soos called. I forced my stare to break and quickly followed, the web in my head shaking at the flies passing by.  
    "Yeah. Yeah I'm coming."

    It was odd. The further we set forth, the colder the air became. The brush was ever more thick and air oh so strong in its push from the spaces between the trees. The lack of animal made me grow more unsettled. It was as if something wasn't right. Almost as though the whole forest knew that today there would be something awful within it. "Does something feel off to anyone?"  
    "No more than usual. Why?" Soos asked, looking back at me hovering from far back.  
    "It's just, don't you notice something odd, like the lack of animals or.."  
    "Dipper, stop being paranoid. Nothing's wrong." Mabel interrupted, nonchalantly putting her hands up into the air. "You're just overthinking."  
    "Of course you think that." I say in a hushed tone.  
    "What was that?" Mabel inquired.  
    "Nothing." What point would it make to speak about this ominous feeling that's prickling at my being if it shall go upon deaf ears.

    We walked in silence. Okay I walked.. floated in silence. Soos and Mabel had been conversing on Greasy Dinner's "delicacies." I couldn't help the worries that arose into my mind, scraping against my skull. Many of them full of a particular triangle, others of the people near and close to me, and the exceedingly dangerous few that have been arising for some time now. Oh how I wish them to stop their ever fluctuating rise but all I have done has caused it to worsen and worsen ever more so. And this demon has not helped in any of the slightest but to change my focus away from the ever increasing poisoned few. They are thoughts that have been planted into my mind, I don't know when, and have done nothing but grow. They are no longer the doubts or worries they began as, but now are suspicions and distrusts. And even now I feel them grow as the parasites they are but yet I let them be as they bound into the web of my mind.

    A single snap echoes in the trees, breaking my traveling thoughts. "What was that?" I asked, searching for the source.  
    "What was what?" Mabel looked back at me just as more snaps sang out.  
    "I think he means that." Soos added, facing a brush to the right that the sounds were radiating from. Soos stepped in front of Mabel, who grabbed a stick from off the ground as I stood before them. The sound continued to grow, to which Soos and Mabel backed up at. Then it grew silent, I slowly grew closer to where I was only about a foot from it. Then it out jumped out, passing through me as it did. Soos and Mabel both raised their arms, screaming war cries as they ran forward.

    Then they stopped in their charge as they looked down at a small fawn before them.  
     "Ah! So cute!"  
    Soos then lowered his arms and leaned in to tickle the small mammal's chin. "Heh. You're right Mabel." The deer then backed up and bucked Soos in the stomach, to which he doubled over to, "Ough," and ran off. "So not cute!" Mabel went over and helped him back up as I looked around once more. Another snapping sound.  
    "Well at least it wasn't anything real ba.." Before Mabel could finish, a large buck walked into the path. It laid its beady eyes at the two before pawing at the ground. "Should we run?" Mabel asked as the deer lowered its head.  
    "I'd say that's a yes." Soos said as he picked up Mabel and ran. The deer began chasing them down the path, barely nicking at them as Soos took a sharp turn around a tree. I followed as they vanished into the brush. As I passed through all I saw was Soos and Mabel climbing up a tree, barely above the raging deer's reach.

    I looked around as I yelled, "Hold on guys."  
    "Already doing that, thank you." Mabel called. I went back to the path and searched near the trees and bushes and found a large stick. I returned to the tree to see the two of them having gone half way up the trunk, the deer still making roundabouts by the base.  
    I put the wood down and spoke through the sock, "Hey stupid. Over here." The deer then stopped, turning its head and massive antlers towards me as I picked the stick back up with my socked hand. The buck then faced me with its lowered head, shook it as it pawed once more. Then charge it went. I stayed stilled before moving the branch out of its way, causing it to crash through some nearby branches.  
    "Whoo hoo, go Dipper!" Mabel hollered from high in the tree.  
    "Yeah, kick that deer's butt." Soos yelled, his hand cupped to the side of his mouth. The deer came back out, racing towards the branch once more to which Dipper used to lead it away with. The deer chased and chased, trying to buck at the wood within my grasp. Once a good distance away, I threw the stick into a bush. The deer then charged this, attacking the bush until it was nothing but a flattened salad. It then pawed at the vegetation before leaning in and grazed.

    "Crazy deer." I commented, my hands on my hips. Then suddenly, the buck turned its head up, facing its left, it's ears flickering this way and that before galloping off in a hurried frenzy. I stared at where it vanished to, then turned around. I stopped as a frigid wind blew through the air, speaking words so soft I shouldn't have heard it, and yet I did. It spoke like a plea but was subtle like a warning, the words lost in the leaves but still holding its strength. It made shivers run up my ghostly spine. I needed to run, get away, hide, but at the same time I wanted to draw close, follow the voice, and let it guide me.

    "Dipper? Where'd you go?" Mabel called in the distance, breaking my trance. I shook my head then pushing myself over to the treeline, out of the wind. "Did you take off your sock or are you just hiding?"  
    "N-no, I'm. I'm coming."  I turned and headed back to them, glancing behind me as the wind died down. "Hey, guys? Maybe we should head back. You know, wait for the Stans to help us or something."  
    "What?! Dipper, Bill's out here and we're close on him. Don't you want to get him?"  
    "Yes but.. I just have a bad feeling, okay? So can we please, at least, get some back up or something?" Mabel looked at me, a shadow passed over her eyes that I couldn't make out, something I'd classify as somewhere between judgement and hurt.  
    "Stop being paranoid. We can catch him without Ford. It can't be that hard, he's using your body."  
    Oh how those little flies are crawling. Can she not make fun of me now? "Seriously? He's dealt with Bill before. He's had more experience. He can help."  
    "I'm not saying he can't but aren't we aren't? Dipper, we can do this. We can help. Just let us." Mabel inquired, opening her arms out wide. I looked between her and the partially hurt looking Soos.

    "I.. I.. Okay." But there's still something wrong here. Can't you feel it?  
    "Alright then. And also stop being so paranoid. We got this." She turned around and proceeded forward with Soos still looking at me.  
    "You alright?" I looked up at him and gave a fake smile only to see him looking at my sock. I let my face fall as I lifted the sock and made it give a smile.  
    "Yeah. Don't worry. It's probably just my paranoia." Soos lifted a single eyebrow before shrugging.  
    "Okay dude, but don't be afraid to say something. Letting it bottle up isn't good for you you know."  
    "Yeah, I know." Soos gave a nod before continuing on after Mabel, further and further away from me. I let my hand drop and my head lower. "That doesn't mean I can stop it." I slowly followed the two far ahead as a gentle breeze passed the trees.


	3. So Travel

    "Nothing. I can't believe it." Mabel howled to the trees. It's been two hours and there has been nothing. No signs, no trace, nada. Nothing but a few hiding gnomes and fleeing birds.  Mabel finally agreed to turn and head back to the pick up. Soos had become tired and partly lethargic as the tips of his shoes dragged in the debris of the earth.  
    "Let's just hurry back, my dogs are killing me." Soos emphasized by kicking a pile of leaves just ahead of him.  
    "He tricked us. How couldn't I have seen this coming. He tricked us and got more time to search." My hands were in fists and my teeth were grinding together. I was such a fool.  
    "Search for what though?"

I froze at the question that left my sister's lips. I could not tell her or Soos about the rift nor Bill's plans for it. I had made a promise. I quickly began to follow as Mabel looked back at me from the corner of her eye, seeing my hesitation.  
    "I don't know. But whatever it is, he can't have it." We drew closer to the road at it came to view through the brush.  
Mabel turned her gaze forward, her eyes going squint before expanding twice as big and gasped, "I see the road ahead."  
    "Finally!" Soos exclaimed as he began to jog towards the road. We all picked up speed one after the other heading towards the mostly flat ground.

    And Soos came to a halt, making Mabel run into behind him, to which she landed on her butt, causing him to lose balance and fall onto his stomach. I came up from behind and stopped just in front of the two. Scratched into the side of the pickup was an image of none other than Bill himself, staring at me in his cockyness. I felt an enragement fill me as I closed my eyes tightly, not wanting to see the image. I thought of how he was toying with me, making fun of me in his single stare. He knew we'd go into the woods and look, giving him time for his own search. He knew that and yet he still took the time to make sure we knew he knew. To mock us as we had fallen for his tricks. Oh how I wish I could just..

"Dipper!" I froze, eyes opening wide as a wind, I had not noticed, swirled around me, filled with leaves and dirt, slow in its spiral then stopped. I turned to see both Mabel and Soos staring at me as I hovered lower. I faced away from them and turned the sock towards them.  
    "Let's get going." My voice felt forced and hard but I was not focusing on that at the moment. I made it say as I went and opened the pickup door with the sock, avoiding looking at the scratch on the side, and floated in, "sitting" down. It took a moment as they got up and came to the vehicle, Mabel taking the center seat, next to me as I faced the window, and Soos the driver's, both buckling in. Soos started up the engine turned the vehicle around and began to drive. The ride was silent as we headed towards the Shack. Even as my gaze was at the window, one hand holding up my head and the other resting in my lap, I could feel occasional glances from both Mabel and Soos, full of various worries.

"So.." Mabel said, breaking the growing silence, "that was cool with the whole wind thing." Mabel coughed into her hand as I refrained from moving more than the steady up and down as hovering came accompanied with. "D-do you know how you did that or did it just happe.."   
    "I don't know." I interrupted. I didn't feel like delving on it at the moment.  
    "Something wrong Dip-dot? You'd usually jump on a anomaly like this and you just say, 'I don't know.'"  
I barely lifted the sock in my lap saying, "I guess so." before letting drop back down.

I didn't feel like talking about it but Mabel wouldn't let up.  
"What's up with you? You're not like the Dipper I know. You've been aching more and more, I don't know, withdrawn since you and Ford have been hanging out." Concern laced her voice. Guilt pulled at my guts but I pushed it down.  
"What are you talking about?" She turned and faced my direction and put her hand forward, as if to grasp my shoulder, but off by about a hand's length.  
    "I'm talking about you. Like, maybe Ford's not the best influence on you." What?! I turned and faced the sock towards her, causing her to drop her hand.  
    "Excuse me. What do you know? What kind of influence are you talking about because I don't see it?"  
    "Um guys?" Soos said as we neared the Shack. Mabel's brows furrowed as she stared straight into the cloth.  
    "Well I do. You've been off with him and I rarely get to see you anymore."  
    "Like you never did that with Candy and Grenda?" Our voices, with the present tensions, were rising now.  
    "Dudes?"  
    "This is different."  
    "Oh? How so?" We were yelling now.  
    "Guys."  
    "Because I was with friends, you were just.."  
    "With a family member."  
    "Grunkle Stan is a family member. I'm a family member."  
    "Ford doesn't tease me like you and Stan do."  
    "That's what uncles and siblings do."

    "Whoa, dudes. What's with all the drama?" Mabel and I froze before the next lines came out of our mouths. With a he turn of our heads we saw Wendy standing in the parking lot, face scrunched and ears plugged only a few steps away. She looked at me then at Mabel and asked, "Why is Dipper a sock?"  
     My eyes opened wide as I asked, "You know it's me? How?"   
    She looked at me with a single brow and said, "I could hear you guys from inside. At first I thought there were a couple of fighting bear cubs out here. Then when I came out it wasn't hard to piece together." She said as she uncovered her ears. Then she looked down at us before asking, "There something going on here that I should know about or.." We both stayed silent as we faced away from each other. She looked between us before saying, "That's okay. Sometimes sibling need to duke out their differences."  
    "Don't you mean talk out?" Soos asked as he stepped out of the pickup.  
    "No I mean duke out. At least that's how my brothers and I did it. Man did we get into some gnarly fights. That's how my siblings and I lost most of our baby teeth."  
    "Awesome." Soos said while she got so much cooler in my mind.  
    "By the way, where were you guys? I just caught the shapeshifter about an hour ago trying to break into the vending machine impersonating Dipper." My and Mabel's eyes grew wide.  
    "What did you just say?" We said in unison.  
    She looked at us confused and said, "Yeah, but he didn't do a very good job. He made his eyes all yellow. Kinda like when you acted all weird at Mabel's Sock Opera thing. Why?" Mabel and I were already halfway to the Shack before she finished her sentence. "Wait. Did I say something?" Wendy asked as Soos pushed her towards the door.  
    "I'll explain on the way. Or try to."

    We ran through the door to the shop and stopped in our tracks. There he was. He hung from the top of the cage with the label cheapskate on it, gnawing at the bars on top.  
"Grunkle Stan's not going to be happy about losing the cheapskate." Mabel whispered. Upon hearing this, he stopped and released his arms so that he was barely hanging by the tips of his shoed toes.  
    "Well, well, well. Look who finally decided to show up. I was starting to worry." Bill said as he slightly swung side to side, eyes closed, smile soft, and his hair swooshing with his motions as his arms hung over his head. Then he stopped and looked me straight in the eye, smiling wide. "Just kidding. But it did take longer than it should have. Goodness Pine Tree. I'm starting to think you're losing your touch." He then raised his hands, showing broken fingernails, while emphasising his point. "Literally."

    "What do you want?" Mabel asked. Bill smiled towards her before reaching up to the bars with his hands, swinging his legs down and landing on his feet, crouched, facing away from them, chuckling.  
    "..and then there was this deer that chased Mabel and me into a tree and then Dipper was all like.." Soos said to Wendy as they passed the door then stopped, staring at the three before them. Bill turned around, eyes penetrating Mabel's as he breathed onto the cracked glass, fogging it with every venomous word.  
    "Why don't you ask your brother?" I could feel my chest tighten as Mabel's brows furrowed.  
"Dipper, what is he talking about?" Wendy asked.  
"I- I don't know. He's playing mind games!" Oh grow sour these words taste on my tongue. Though they be half true, I could not deny the lie that has passed these tretorous lips. But I must keep it so for no one must know. Though their gazes of partial disbelief makes it far harder.  
"Am I now?" He looked at me, straight into my eye instead of the sock upon my hand. "Well tell me this. What are you not telling you're sweet sister or dear friends?" He chuckled as he clearly saw the face of guilt that all else were blind to. "I believe we are all waiting upon the furthest edges of our seats. Do please answer before we fall off."  
Soos came up and pointed his finger at the glass. "That's enough."  
    And up came Wendy, "Yeah. You need to shut your lying mouth."  
To this he gave a hard chuckle. "I have never lied, just finessed the truth. My you can be oblivious sometimes. Then again humanity is like that, never seeing the big picture." Straight he put his back and closed his eyes came. "But no worry. You shall be enlightened soon enough." He is playing now, antagonizing the arachnid in my skull to attack the ready scorpion. Unfortunately I may be falling for it. Before I could get a word out of my mouth, Wendy stepped forward.  
    "You egomaniac little.."  
    "Ah ah." Bill tisked, shaking his finger at her. He then placed his palm onto his chest. "Though I am flattered, I believe you may wish to stop there before you use some unfavorable language."  
    "Unfavorable language. I'll show you unfavorable language when you get out of Dipper's body." Wendy threatened, rolling up her sleeve as Soos grabbed her shoulders to keep from her pursuit forward. Bill rolled his eyes as he tapped the tip of his foot against the glass.  
    "Bark. Bark. Bark. Bark. Red, barking only works so far without any bite."

    The screech of vehicle wheels sounded from outside, grabbing everyone's attention, with the accompaniment of two old men's voices in argument. Bill looked towards the shop door before glancing at the clock on the wall.  
    "Here comes some bite, though it be a bit too soon. But it's still flexable into my plans."  
    I floated closer and stared him in the eye, "Which plan?" He smiled at me as tapped his closed eye and then his nose.  
    "This one."

    And with that he lifted up his foot and hit the center of the cracked glass, shattering it. As he did, the door opened, letting in both Grunkle Stan and Ford. Wendy turned around at the sound of the glass shattering and saw Bill climbing out. She jumped at him as he dashed across the room, barely slipping her grasp. Stan and Ford were shocked silent from their argument as they saw the chaos erupting. Soos tried to jump on Bill as he slipped behind the till, only to miss and land on the chair instead.  
    Stan yelled, "What is going on here!?" As he did, Bill ran around him, making him lose his balance and fall on his rump. " Dipper? What's the meaning of this?" He said as he stood back up. "I don't mind you being chaotic, but not when it damages shop property or me."  
    "Grunkle Stan, that's not Dipper." Mabel stated as she picked up a broom and swung it at Bill as he passed, missing. Bill then ran through the living quarters' door, Me Soos and Wendy on his tail.  
    "What are you talking about? He looks like Dipper, but more smiley." Stan  said. "Actually, I don't think I've seen him smile like that before."  
    Ford looked down at Mabel sternly as the sound of something breaking in the other room sent Stan to run in, yelling, "Hey. Hey. That better not be anything worth money breaking in there."  
    "Mabel, what's going on?"  
    Mabel lowered the broom in her hand for a moment before lifting it back up and asking, "Do you know a demon by the name Bill Cipher?" Ford's eyes grew wide before setting narrow. Ford then ran to the vending machine and began pushing in codes.  
    "Ford what are you.." The door suddenly opened as he looked down on his great-niece.  
    "I have to get something and I'll be right back." He then put a hand on Mabel's shoulder and gave a firm squeeze. "Now get out there and help them." Mabel looked  up at Ford then nodded before proceeding into the living room as Ford descended down the stairs.  
Mabel entered the room just as Bill jumped over Stan from off the TV and avoided Dipper's sock grasp as he landed in front of Soos and rolled under him and out of reach. As he passed Soos, Wendy lifted a lamp and swung, missing the spinning loonatic. As he grew closer, Mabel sweated the broom at his feet, to which he hopped over.  
"Dude, he's like turned into like a ninja or something." Soos exclaimed after Bill tripped him, causing him to land on Wendy, who made an ough sound, perpendicularly. Stan then ran over to Bill, who pulled on the handle to the recliner, sending Stan to fall forward, face first. Bill then ran towards the back door and Stared at Mabel and Dipper.  
"It's been a pleasure but I must take my leave. Tell Sixer that we'll be able to catch up later." And with the wave of his hand he called, "Far well," turned and headed out.  
    "No you won't!" I yelled as I followed behind, hearing Mabel call my name before the door shut.  
    Grunkle Stan grumbled before calling out, "Would anyone care to explain the flying sock!?"


	4. For Our

I couldn't understand this demon. Just this morning he barely got out the door before falling upon his face and now he's like a combat fighter. Actually more like a fleeing antelope at the moment as he's hopping over roots and avoiding branches. I flew up to him and tried to grab at him, only to miss as he ducked under a branch. Upon seeing the branch I cringed, covering my face, and tried to slow down only to pass through that. I opened my eyes then looked back.  
"I've got to remember that I can do that." I looked back to see Bill making a left turn out of sight. "Wait." I shot forward and followed Bill around the turn.  
"I can't right now. But perhaps we can chat some other time. I know a great mental institution that has spectacular tea we could talk over." He jumped over a few mounds before taking a right.  
"Yeah maybe, after you're banished back to the mindscape." I reached out again and caught the edge of his vest collar, stopping him, sending his feet to fly up from under him and land on his back. He turned his head up and looked at me upside down his grin growing and eyes smiling.

"That was fun." Off in the distance grew the sound of yelling and footsteps pounding through the earth. He looked higher up, turning his head so that the top was flat on the ground as his shoulderblades were off the ground and saw the rest of the group gaining speed. "And it shall continue another time." and up he stood as I tried to pull him down with my socked hand, not working out too well on my end. He then struggled against my pull before slipping the vest off then ripped it out of my hand and continued into the woods. I headed after him, hearing the voices behind us differentiate from one another. Mabel and Wendy were up in front with Stan and Soos in the back.

Bill then took another left before stopping and looking around. "Now where did it go? Aha!" He ran over to a boulder and forked tree and began to jump in between them, making a hollow banging sound. He then stopped and looked down closer. "Shoot, welded shut. Sixer gets a point for precaution." I then try to grab Bill again as he's standing still only for him to jump out of the way. "How many times are you going to try that?" He then headed north. "You can only do the same trick so many times."  
"You should take your own advice." As Bill continued to run, passing trees and rocks along the way. Then from the corner of my eye I saw Ford jump out of the brush with a strange looking gun aimed at Bill and shot, Bill then dodged and the shot hit a tree, burning right through it.  
"Ha, taking the shortcut I see. Then maybe I should take my own." and Bill turned left.  
"No you won't" I was shocked as I looked at Ford who quickly continued pursuit.  
"Ford, what are you doing!? That's my body you're shooting at!" Ford was unfazed by my reaction.  
"Relax kid. This is a special gun I've been working on that should shock Bill straight out of your body."  
"Shock? Like how strong a charge? Are we saying like static shock or.."  
"Don't worry it doesn't do harm to living flesh or working nerves." Ford interrupted. This made me feel a little more calm, but not much. "The most we'll have to worry about is putting out your smoldering clothes and maybe some hair-loss." He then shot again, hitting another tree that Bill passed melting it's center. "Okay, definite hair-loss." I held my ghostly hair, losing the small calmness I has received as I shot forward towards Bill.  
"Bill! Stop."  
"No."  
"Bu-but. But you can't get the rift now since Ford knows you're here. So why don't you just give up and turn yourself in?" I didn't know what to say to try and convince him, but that's what had come to mind. He laughed as he hopped over another protruding tree root.  
"I've been planing this for over a millennium. You really think Sixer or any of you are going to stop me? Think again kid." A millennium!?  
"If you've been planning for so long, then why do you need my body? You probably have a million different variations of your plan to go with."  
"I do, and I'm going with this one." A shot echoed from behind.  
"And how's this one going to go?"  
"Right now, not get shot." And north he turned again as another shot sounded off.  
"Man he's a bad shot. Not sure if that's good or not."  
"He's doing pretty good for someone trying to miss."  
"What?" Off went another shot.  
"He's attempting to scare me out." He said to me before turning his head and yelling, "But it's not going to work!" Another shot blazed over his head, singing a few stray hairs sticking up, to which he ducked his head at.  
"Well it's working on me!" I stated.

"Ford! What are you doing? That's Dipper's body!" Mabel yelled as she grew nearer to Ford.  
"Don't worry. It's not going to kill him." He shot again, hitting another tree, burning a hole straight through it.  
"That's not reassuring me!" she yelled as she ran in front of Ford. "Bill, get out of Dipper's body right now!"  
"Nope." Bill replied as he shot under some hanging brush.  
"Bill." Mabel warned as Wendy, Soos and Stan began to catch up.  
"What do you think you're doing shooting at my nephew!" Stan hollered as he slowed down, picked up a branch and threw it.  
"Trying to.. Umph!" Ford declared before getting hit in the back, propelling him forward and knocking him down. As he fell the gun slipped his grasp, landing onto the ground, causing it to fire. "No."  
"Dipper!"  
I heard my name be called from behind. As I turned my head I felt a sudden rush of energy sove me forward, making me pass halfway through Bill. As I passed through, I could feel him tense and, from my peripheral vision, see his eyes shoot wide and mouth pull back in a silent scream. Actually, I think I was screaming but I can't tell, all I could hear was an obnoxious ringing penetrating my ear drums. And then there was nothing.

"Dipper!" Mabel yelled as the shot hit to the left of the sock, hitting an invisible mass, propelling it forward. As it flew, it passed through Bill, causing him to stop. The scream he let loose was painfully horrid. As the screams continued, a wave shot through the transparent mass showing an individual halfway through Bill's abdomen. Then a second scream echoed out, one all too painfully familiar. Then there was a sudden flash of blue light and... they were gone.

Mabel ran forward and stopped just before the burned ground, staring at where she had last seen her brother. "Dipper?" She called, just barely over a whisper. She took a shaky breath and screamed, "Dipper!" Wendy came up to Mabel and held her shoulder as she looked down at the black vegetation.  
"Mabel. I.." With that, Mabel spun around and gripped at Wendy's shirt, burying her face into her stomach. Wendy froze for a moment before returning her hold.  
"The last thing we did was fight. The last thing," she sniffled into Wendy's shirt. Soos came up and gently joined in on the hug, keeping his head down. Stan walked up to Ford and punched him in the face.  
"I thought I told you not to hurt those kids." Ford looked up with a scowl before standing up, going and picking up the gun.  
"I don't believe he is gone." Stan crossed his arms as Ford stood back up, inspecting his gun.  
"What do you mean?" Ford looked back at Stan before checking a chamber within the instrument.  
"I'll need to take some samples to be sure but I've seen enough abnormal malfunctions and dimension jumping to know when I see it."  
"So what you're saying is?"  
"They jumped dimensions." Stan looked down at the burned ground then up to Mabel who was staining Wendy's shirt with tears and snot. Ford shut the capsule and went up to the grass and took out a vile, putting some ashed grass into it.  
He then turned to Ford and asked, "We can bring him back right?" Ford turned at Stan and looked at him in dissent. Soos and Wendy began to lead Mabel back to the Shack, her face below her eyes hidden in the neck of her sweater, her tears soaking her color.  
"We? Ley, you don't know anything about dimensional travel. You should just leave it to me."  
Stan went face to face with his brother, stabbing his pointer into his chest. "No you will not. This is my nephew too and I promised his parents that he and his sister will be alright. So we are going to bring him back. Whatever it takes."  
Ford straightened up and poked him right back. "And what makes you think you can do it?"  
Stan looked Ford straight in the eye and said, "I did it for you, didn't I?" Ford stayed quiet as Stan continued his stare before he turned around and headed towards the group halfway back to the Shack. Ford looked down and reached into his pocket and pulled out a glass sphere with a goo like surface on it. Inside were stars swirling through an ever moving moving black substance.  
Ford stared at it before looking back at the charred earth and asked, "Was it worth it?"


	5. Pained Bodies

It's only been moments ago. But it's felt so much longer. Wendy and Soos brought me back to the shack. They offered to stay. I turned them down. They stayed anyway but gave me some space. I headed upstairs, stopping before my and.. Dipper’s room. I didn't feel like going in there right now. I turned around and came back down those ever so creaky stairs, announcing my slow descent. Soos and Wendy sat on the couch, their eyes low, Soos fiddling with something in his hand. Their heads raised as I entered, we made eye contact, their’s full of sorry and worry, just like mine, but with less sorrow than I, my eyes still red and puffy.

Soos then stood and walked to me, his head hung low. He stopped before me, and stuck out his hands. Corressed in them, like a delicate robin's egg, was a blue and white billed cap. I looked at Soos who held a cautious look upon his features, soft and delicate like his hold. I slowly reach for the hat, taking it into my grasp. I looked down at the tree shape on the front, brushing my thumb against the stained cloth. I pulled it close to my chest and looked at Soos with a small smile, a few more tears spilling out as I sung my arms out and grasped him into an embrace. Immediately he had his arms around me, holding me tightly.

Then open went the door. I peeked my head out of Soos’ wet shirt of my tears and mucus to see two figures walking in. Stan came forward, his face hard and rigged. His eyes jumped from Wendy, standing next to Soos with a hand on his shoulder, then Soos, and finally to the small child sniffling into the green of his shirt. His eyes suddenly softened before he turned his face, covering his shaking lip with his hand, his other crossing over his chest, supporting the first. And behind him was Ford, calculation in his face, an aura of determination growing off of him as he headed straight ahead, not looking at anyone around him, he passed my glare towards the shop, exiting the room in silence.

Stan then stepped forward, coming towards me.  
“Soos, Wendy, can you give us a minute?” I let go of Soos, who slightly backed up next to Wendy who followed behind him into the shop. As the door clicked shut I turned to Stan, wiping the excess snot from beneath my nose and looked at him as he knelt down. He glanced at the fabric clutched in my hand and cleared his throat, pulling against the collar of his shirt.  
“Mabel. We.. gah..” He sighed, quickly scratching the back of his head, “I'm really not good at these freely things but.. the thing is..”  
“Grunkle Stan?” I asked, interrupting him. “I..” I lowered my head, looking at the hat clung in my grip. I tightened my fingers on it as I kept my head down, furrowing my brow. “Please tell me.. tell me, this a just a nightmare.”  
“Wha- Mabe-”  
“One that I'll wake from with nothing but my fluffy pillows and a familiar sleep deprived brother that's..” A shuddered breath escaped my throat. “here.” I lifted up my other sleeve and covered my eyes.

“Mabel.” Stan said, putting his hand on my shoulder. I shook him off, suddenly filling with anger.  
“Don’t touch me. Just.. wake me up!” I yelled, stepping back, pulling my arms around myself, hugging the hat close. “Please.” He pulled back his hands as he watched me, his eyes clouding as they did. I shook my head as I stared at the soiled carpet stains crunching under my feet. “Maybe we can get a wizard or a pixie or some.. I don’t know.. some relic to bring him back. Maybe they can trade me something to do it like.. like my knitting needles or my leg, I have two of those, I can give one up. Maybe both. Or I can..” How desperation dripped from my voice.  
“Mabel.”  
“Maybe there’s..” and it hit me, what I wanted to so much avoid but knew I never could, “nothing. Nothing I can do, and he’s gone, forever. And it’s my fault. I wasn’t there or I just didn’t notice soon enough. I could have done something but..”  
“MABEL!”  
I jumped, wiping my eye, that I hadn’t noticed had begun to water again, quickly and peeked above my arm. “He’s really gone. Isn’t he.”

Stan took a deep sigh as he kneeled again, making his tired eyes lock onto mine.  
“He.. may.. not be gone.” I looked at him with wide eyes, lowering my arm to my side.  
“But I saw him, he screamed and went zap and..” I croaked.  
“Ford thinks he wasn't.. destroyed. But was shot into some sort of parallel dimension of some sorts or whatever.” Dipper’s not gone, he might be alive. The thought swirled in my head for a moment, bringing a smile on my face before crashing with another.  
“That'd mean Bill’s with him. He's probably giving him so many nightmares he's already peed himself, twice.”  
“I'd think the kid have a stronger bladder than that but we're going to bring him back. Wet pants or not.. preferably not.”  
“How?”

“Well if I do recall, we have a certain.. device that allows one to open dimensions and such.” But that can't be.  
“I thought the portal was broken.”  
“Ford said he had an old prototype that he can fix up. But he'll add more safety precautions and measures to make sure this one doesn't have the same side effects as the one before and whatever else he talked about.”  
“And he said all this.” Stan stood up with his hands on his hips.  
“Well if he didn't, I might have given him a nice shiner after that.”

“Grunkle Stan.” I started with a shake of my head before gasping, “We have to tell Wendy and Soos. They'll be so excited to hear this.”  
I turn to head towards the shop, “Whoa there.” before Stan stepped in front of me, causing me to run into his leg before bouncing back. I looked up at Stan confusion on my face.  
“What is it? Soos and Wendy are right out there. I need to..”  
“Settle down.” Stan finished for me. “I'll tell them. And give them the afternoon and tomorrow off, without pay.” I raise a brow at him before he shaked his head, “Okay, okay. Half pay, but no more. You can start heading down once I'm done with the two.” Around he turned and through the door he went.

I looked down at the cap in my grasp then headed up the stairs, opening the attic door and entering Dipper’s and my room. I ran to his side of the room and placed his cap on his pillow. I turned around and grabbed a backpack, starting to fill it with items. A glitter water bottle, a half eaten sandwich, my grappling hook, and a few other things. I got up and readied to head down before pausing. I looked back at my brothers bed. I turned and headed over to it and kneeled down. I reached underneath and pulled out three books, each worn and adorned with a numbered six fingered gold hand. I stuffed them into my pack and trumped down the stairs. I passed through the living room and entered the shop.

And there I saw Grunkle Stan being lifted into the air and swung back and forth by an over enthused Soos.  
“Dipper lives another day.” Soos yelled, causing Stan to flinch.  
“I'll say it one last time. Put me down!” Down Soos put him, placing him flat on the ground.  
“Sorry. I'm just, speechless. I'm mean I didn't know to believe you right away but then I thought, ‘Dipper’s survived worse.’ Right? Like the haunted pinball machine, the zombies, the stop animation figures, the gobblewonker..”  
“I thought you said you were speechless.”  
“Well we need to tell Mabel. She’ll be so.. Mabel!” Wendy exclaimed as she caught sight of me. She hurried over to me with a shine in her eye. “Did you hear? Dipper’s al..”  
“I heard. I heard. We’re going to get him back.”  
“Now hold on.” Stan interrupted, swinging his arms out wide before crossing them over his chest. “Don’t get your spirits up too high now. The portal’s not even up and running yet. And from what I hear from Ford is that there’s a ton of dimensions or whatnot he could have gone to. It might take a while.” He looked down as me with a softened look. “A long while.” I looked down at my sleeve and pulled at the edges from where some string was pulling out.

I opened my mouth to speak only to be interrupted by a humming sound. The vending machine then swung open, out stepped Ford, burned splotches on his coat and oil on his face and hands, which he was wiping off with a dingy rag.  
“Portal’s working.” Stan walked up to Ford with a bemused look.  
“H-how? You were barely down there for fifteen minutes.”  
Ford shrugged his shoulder, “Just had to do some rewiring and inscriptions. What really took up time was the tentacle armed boy that popped out. Took a bit of effort to send him back in.” He turned to me then patted me on the shoulder with his cleaned hand. “Don’t worry. Your brother’s going to be back before you know it.” He gave a small smile then stood and turned back to the stairway and headed down, leaving the vending machine open.

I looked at him before shooting towards the very same steps.  
“Whoa. Where do you think your going?” Stan said as he grabbed onto the back of my backpack, halting me. I look up at him with a questioning look.  
“I’m going to hang down there until we get Dipper back.” Stan seemed to stiffen, glancing between the stairs and myself.  
“W-well I..” I stuck out my lip and enlarged my eyes, increasing my cuteness. He glanced back. “Fine, but be careful. I don’t want to call your parents, I don’t even want to call them about your brother.”  
I gave a side smile as I was released, “You won’t have to, because we’re getting him back.” heading down the stairs, singing those last few words on the way.

Wendy and Soos started heading towards the stairs before Stan stepped in front of them.  
“Whoa man, what’s with the blocking?”  
“Yeah, we want to help.”  
“I know you do and you will but Mabel..” Stan looked behind himself as he heard the singing drown out by the hum of the elevator, “she’s in a.. rollercoaster let’s say. You know, the one full of emotions and that kind of junk.”  
“Go on.” Soos asked, folding his hands together over his stomach, giving an inquisitive look.  
“I’ve just seen this before, okay? She’s going to be delicate, though it may not seem like it.”  
“Chill dude. Do you know who you’re talking to. I’m a teenager. I’m practically an expert on the subject. Just let me keep an eye on her at least. And Soos can be like her safety blanket slash bodyguard. We practically do that already.  
He gave them a strained look before slightly slouching. “Alright, but you're not getting payed for this. You already got the rest of the day off.”  
“I thought you said we get too arrow off too.”  
“Do I look like I'm giving charity? Yes I do. Now get down there before I take your day off tomorrow.” He moved behind Wendy and Soos and pushed them towards the door.  
“Okie dokie boss.”  
The two headed down the stairs, speaking down their descent, “Whoa, I haven't been down here before. I looks kinda like the bunker.”  
“Oh, it gets cooler. You should have seen the whole thing when the..”  
“Soos, you told me already.”  
“Oh yeah.” They grew quieter the further they went, third voices fading into the hum of the elevator. Stan took off his fez cap and scratched under it before placing it back, giving a sigh, “Here we go again.” And he too descended, closing the vending machine behind him, causing the closed sign in the door window to swing.


	6. Sore Hearts

    I could feel us falling but yet we were still. Blue light burned in my sight. Yellow streaks of, what appeared to be like, lightning shot here and there contrasting against the blue flamed that surrounded us. And then there was nothing. I then felt Bill collapse, passing through me as I, in a limp like state, hovered down, my eyes closed tight. As I lowered I could feel myself pass through the ground. I relaxed once I felt presence of something wrapped around me like a warm wool blanket. I curled in on myself feeling so tired and exhausted.

As I was being lulled into sleep, I felt, not heard, but physically felt a groan vibrate through my chest yet I made no sound. It sounded again but with an added cough as I felt something to the feel of dead leaves poke my hands. I opened my eyes and saw nothing but darkness around me. I felt skin push against my hands, one feeling as though it were slightly touching a scab. I looked around then flew up, my head breaking the surface and to my sight I could see burned leaves and grass all around. I slightly turned my head and saw Bill, partly healing scratches on his face, arms, legs, as wells as soot also coating his clothes and hair, leaning over, his hands on his cut knees as he took deep breaths in and out. One brow rose as the other lowered as I raised myself higher out of the ground. He raised his arm and coughed into it, and I felt the rough air pushing through my throat and the moistness in the bend of my elbow and still, I did not cough nor have a wetness on my arm. I looked around and saw the sock, partly crisp along the edge and full of ash. I picked it up and put it on, feeling it's stiffness. I went over, hovering over him, and poked him in the shoulder. I felt a pressure on my shoulder at the same time. He froze and turned towards me with eyes, shallow and cold, mouth grim and low, and nose scrunched up ever so slightly, that could be seen somewhere between 'What are you doing?' to 'Do you want to die?'

    He quickly changes into a different facade, one of a so familiar leer and smiling eyes.  
    "Do you have something to say or you just going to let your empty skull speak for itself?"  
I scoffed as I backed up, crossing my arms, "Like you can say much. You're a triangle. Do you even have a brain?" He then straightened up and stretched, a popping sensation ran down my back causing me to slightly arch in surprise. I quickly put my hands on my hips and straightened up.

    Bill turned around and peered at me. "I'll simplify it for you. If I had a brain to fill an empty skull which I do not have, it would physically explode my head wide open from how much I know in comparison to your feasible mind."  
"If that is so true then why isn't my head exploding right now?"  
    "Because I'm still using my own mental storings, I'm just using your brain for things like maneuvering this pile of meat. Which, for your information, would not operate as smoothly or efficiently as it does now if not for some.." Bill tapped his finger on his chin before giving a shrug, "..tinkering." I raised my hand as I prepared to give a comment before Bill interrupted with, "But do not fear, I'll return your prior balance and agility and yada yada back to their awkward selves when I'm done. Mostly."  
    "Mostly!?"  
    "Well I'm going to leave a few of my own touches of course."  
    "No you're not!" I reached down and grabbed the back of his t-shirt with my socked hand and began to drag him back, feeling a pressure against my armpits of something being pulled against them, "We're going ba-" then stopped.

    "Oh yes. You have no say." No. "Especially without a piece of footwear to speak through." This isn't right. "Now if you'd be so kind as to.."  
    "Bill?"  
    "What? Do you not know that it is rude to interrupt an elder as they are speaking? Truly Pine Tree, I'd think you'd know at least a smidge on the topic, but it appears that that is inaccura.."

    I jerked my arm, slightly shaking Bill in my grasp.  
    "Bill!"  
    He turned his head to face me, "Wha-" then froze, eyes widening and jaw going slack, similar to my own. Before our sights were different faces, all on trees. Each in a different variation of pain and agony. I felt myself cringe as my eyes laid upon the endless darkness being held within a pair of wooden sockets.

    A huffing sound resonated behind me to which I looked towards. As I did, I saw Bill's shoulders raising up and down with his rapid breathing, face low and downward. Was he crying? Did this scare him worse than it did me? I know he's a butt, but.. I release my hand from his collar, and put it onto his shoulder. As my hand landed, his head shot up, making me jump and fly back, and started to laugh, tears in the edge of his eyes.  
    "That got me. Oh how that got me. Whoo." He swiped at the edge of his eye, brushing away a tear. I look between him and the tree.  
    "What!? This got you? I'd think you've seen worse in your.. eons."  
    "True. Whoever did this, I like their style. Not exactly in my main tastes but I can appreciate it." I open my mouth to make a snarky comment before snapping it shut and twisting around.

    "Mabel?" Another turn. No one. "Soos? Wendy?!" Another turn. Still no one. "Stan?! Ford?!" Another twist. Still no one. "Mabel!?!" Where is everyone? They were just here when.. I look down at the sindged ground, smoke barely rising from the black ash, vanishing as it rose. A movement from the corner of my vision caught my attention, pulling my eye over only to see Bill walking away. "Wait!" I rushed to him and fetched at the collar of his neckline. "You are not leaving so easily." He coughed at the sudden pull then gave me a slight glare as he turned around.  
    "Is that so?" From the hard tone of his voice and the set furrow of his brow, I could tell that that was not a question to answer, but I did anyway. I leaned in and gave the best glare I had, which wasn't nearly as threatening as what Bill could pull off with my face, but I believe it sent the message.  
    "Yeah." Bill continued to give me a hard stare. For a being with only one eye, he really knew how to convey his.. actually my facial features. Which is kinda weird that he's able to manipulate it so well. He quickly glanced to the side and continued to stare. I refused to look over and lose my fleeting composure do I kept my eyes locked on him. I started to feel a coldness pass through me as a presence grew concentrated onto me.

He leaned forward so our noses were a mere blade with from touching and said barely under a whisper, "Eyes are upon us." And with those words I could bare it for no longer as the cold pushed further and further into my very being. I turned my gaze to where Bill's held. There I saw them. Two eyes of blue, yellow, and a harsh red, the formers encircling the latters. They glowed from within the brush to the right of us, a good ways away but not far enough from the hungry stare focused onto me. I was frozen by their luminescent glow, I could not turn my stare from them. The world around me seemed to fade to like that of a dark ocean, and I being a small fish who had traveled too low. And before me was a light that I dare not follow for a jaw of a much larger angler lies behind it, jaws awaiting for my arrival.

Bill stepped forward, between me and the glowing orbs, gaining their attention. He stood tall, feet firm, face warningly calm, and arms behind his back, hands clenched so hard his knuckles turned white. And nothing. For only a moment but felt like so much more, all was silent and none was in motion. The eyes of colors and eyes of yellow stayed locked until the hidden ones faded to white just before giving a final glance between the two of us and vanished into the wood. Bill then turned and headed down where he had begun. I look between him and the place of the eyes, seeing if they would return with the blink of an eye, to which they did not.

Bill stopped and glanced back at me and sighed, "This isn't a mystery for you kid. Not now at least."  
I looked at him quizzically. "What are you talking about?"  
Another sigh. "I wasn't.. let's call it born for the sake of it, yesterday. I know curiosity when I see it." He took back up walking forward. "And I'll tell you, this isn't one to get lured into." Why is that? And why does he care? Something else to figure out another time, but for now..  
"Whoa, enough of this walking off." I came up to grab his shirt collar again only for him to dodge, causing me to fly forward. As I came to a stop, he passed by me saying,   
"You can keep trying to catch me but I'm going to go forward, so you can either come and join along or stay all alone." He continued up ahead. "Your choice." I glance around as I think. I could stay and try to find Ford and the guys and come back to find Bill and get him then. Or I could go with Billa no figure out where we are, I'd need to know that in order to find the guys. I could wait here for someone to show up, but they'll probably freak at the aspect of a floating sock and runoff before I can get in a word edgewise. I could follow Bill and keep an eye on him, maybe try to foil his plans while I'm at it, showing everyone I'm more than just a kid. I look back to see Bill vanishing down the path.  
"Bill, wait." And off I took with the empty wooden sockets boring their nonexistent eyes into my back as a subtle breeze passed.


	7. Broken Minds

Bill's been in some deep thought. At least it seems like it. And that can't be a good thing. He hasn't said a word since we started, having put on his vest sometime along the way, about.. ten twenty minutes ago or so, but he's not doing the best of hiding what he's thinking off his face. Most of the time he appears to be pondering, smiling when, I'd imagine, he has his version of a good idea that has so far always fallen to a discouraging frown. What could be on his mind? Nothing good at my best bet. Then with the lick of his lips he looked up, making eye contact. I quickly looked away as realization hit that I had been staring at him for nearly the entire time. He scoffed and gave a look around as I stared at single conifers as they passed.

Bill then walked out of my peripheral vision causing me to look over to him. I stopped my forward momentum and watched as he stood himself in front of a tree. He looked up, leaning against foot to foot as though something were hiding among the hanging branches. He gave a small "hmm" before crouching down, wiggling his rear, then jumping up, clawing at the bark as his legs wrapped around the trunk. The roughness of the bark could be felt beneath my fingernails and against my calves. I clenched my hands but yet I could not feel my nails digging into my ghostly palms.  
I raised a brow as "Bill?" passed my lips.  
"Yes?" He responded continuing up with the grace of a sloth. I looked down at my hand as the sensations of bark against skin continued its ministrations. My mouth opened but I did not speak. I clenched my hand and snapped my mouth shut. I'll talk about it later. I crossed my arms and looked up to see a yellow eye looking back at me, watching.

I gave a cough, bringing my socked hand up to cover my mouth then asked, "What are you doing?" as I swung my arm referencing to his current state. He continued to stare, unnerving me, before rolling his eye and continuing his way up. "Getting to higher ground. You know, to get some bearings on where we are." His foot slipped before he placed it back against the wood.  
"Then why don't you, oh I don't know, give me my body back and fly up there yourself. I'd probably be easier than.. whatever you call that." I commented as Bill settled his feet against two branches barely above my head, almost doing the splits. I could feel the pull against my thighs and it was becoming painful. Bill laughed as he pushed one leg against the branch it stood on, sending him to lean the other way, allowing that leg to land on a different branch, taking tension off of my paining legs.  
"I could. And I could fly away, back to Gravity Falls, and leave you to the unknowns of these woods, forever lost to decay by an unfortunate accident. Maybe you'd be eaten or the likes." He looked down at me with a leer. I felt a shiver run through me.

I glared back at him, "You wouldn't."  
"Would I? I wonder how Shooting Star would react. Finding out her brother was dead and she couldn't do a thing about it." He then tapped the end of his finger upon his chin as I began to seethe, "Or could she. I mean," he stood and leaned his elbow against the trunk, "I think a deal may be.. useful in such a situation. Correct Pine Tree?" The smirk he shot towards me only further increased my heating rage. The branches of the surrounding trees began to sway to an increasing breeze.  
"Incorrect. You're deals are only hindrances to everyone they involve."  
"Not me." Bill gleed, shooting his arms up, making him lose his balance and fall backwards into a bush.

The breeze stopped instantly as I felt a sharp pain shoot up my back. I flew up to him, "Bill!" There was no movement as a single sneaker stuck out from the brush, "Bill?" Suddenly up his head popped up with a grin full of leaves, spooking me.  
He looked at me before clasping his hands together and trying, keyword trying, to give me a pair of doe eyes. "Aw. You do care."  
I crossed my arms after recovering from my slight shock, "Hardly. I just don't want you to permanently damaging me is all."  
Bill stood brushing off leaves and branches with one hand and wiggling his finger with the other, "I'm still going to say you care.If you mind so much, then why don't you go and take a peek, see what's around and such." I glanced up then back down at him. He could be using this so he could run off leaving me to be lost here. He shrugged as he got out of the bush and walked to the tree again, "Or I can give it another go if you'd prefer." I looked up at the tree seeing the weak cod diction of its brittle looking branches up higher.

"No. No. I can look. Just stay put." I said I began to float up, glaring at Bill, "I mean it."  
He then sat next to a tree, leaning against it as he put his hands crossed behind his head, eyes closed. "Yes mother." If he did run off, he couldn't get too far, right? I looked at him for a moment, before ascending up to the canapé.

I quickly broke the surface. As I did, a poof of air followed me, causing leaves to follow up after me. Swirling around me before being caught in the gentle wind, flying towards the lowering sun. To my vision met a sea of warm colors, crashing its branching waves, echoing through the air. It was.. calming. I felt a gust of wind pass through me soothingly. And I let my eyes fall closed at the flowing sensation, a small grin pulling at the edge of my lips. It was like a bliss, though the feeling of something squishing under my fingers was unpleasant, Bill. The wind then began to share its hushed whispers. Soon the voices began to plead, two different ones being the loudest of them all. I frond as I tried to hear their woods but could catch not a one. One spoke in rhymes and rhythms, sorrowful and encased in regret. Another was more erratic in its form, jumping from crippling sadness to a manic jitter. I opened my eyes as I concentrated, only for them to grow louder into a gust of wind, screaming into my ears. I covered them from the sudden intruder, closing my eyes as I did.

Then I felt no more air passing me, nor sound echoing in the air. I opened my eyes, seeing the ocean of towering wood still. I uncovered my ears, hearing nothing but silence around me. I turned this way and that until something passing my vision caught my eye. I looked back, bringing my hand across my brow, gave a squint, and focused my eye on it.  
"You get lost up there or something? Do I need to get up there and get you?" Bill yelled up.  
"No just, wait a sec." I called back, looking closer. I then sank down below the top of the tree line. As I came lower, I spied Bill, arms crossed, just as his legs were, over his chest, leaning forward with a single brow raised and mouth set in a frown.  
"So? How were the sights? Did you take any pictures? I got to crush a cluster of ants one by one while you were off." Bill stated, pulling out his hand full of dead ants before crushing them in his sudden grip.  
"Eww. No, I did see what looked like a house or place of residence a ways away. I also saw a river and where there's a river, there's bound to be a town not far, but it looked much further away."  
"How far?" Bill inquired. I looked towards where I had seen the setting sun then back at Bill.  
"We might barely make it to the house before nightfall if we're quick. And we'd have to walk through the dark if we went for the river. And I don't remember what phase of the moon it's supposed to be so we may be traveling in complete darkness if we do." Bill stared at me before giving a sigh and stood up, wiping his hand on his shorts.  
"Which way?" No side comment? I looked at Bill as he looked back at me for a moment.

I pointed my socked hand down the path, "North." Bill then gave a chuckle, not like his usual ones that send creeps through my being but a gentle one.  
"Isn't that funny." He then tapped at his forehead as he began to walk forward. "Shall we walk the railroad." I looked at him as he passed me, continuing on. "Let us continue our escape." What is he trying to say?  
"This isn't an escape." I growled at him.  
"Not yet." He said, the edge of his lips slightly pulled.  
"Whatever you all seeing jerk." I snided, to which he laughed.  
"You flatter me Pine Tree, but some other vocabulary would have a better effect such as ruthless, charming, or cunning, perhaps supreme overlord. That one would do nicely."  
I huffed, " In your dreams."  
"No, but maybe in yours."


	8. Show Little

    Eyes, I kept feeling them on me as we traveled. And they weren't Bill's either. Okay, it was Bill's sometimes but when his did, it felt.. different. His was familiar and just.. Bill. The one that is sending me further on edge is one I have not experienced. It was like a hollowness was bro trudging into me from my back. It was as though hand were reaching for me, wishing to pull me down into a dark abyss of black crickets, ready to sing my requiem. Yet when I turned, the feeling vanishes as though nothing was there. It's making me go on edge, and I think Bill's noticed.

    "If you're going to be paranoid, then you better be thinking about what's up ahead than what's behind." He scowled stepping over a protruding root in front of me. "Otherwise you'll be stuck in a dead end instead of what's important." He raised his arms and faced his head to the sky. "Witnessing my rule over the universe."  
    I rolled my eyes, "Like I'm going to let that happen."  
    He smiled, "You already have." The stinger of the scorpion has plucked at the web, gaining attention of the arachnid. I looked at him with eyes hard and brows furrowed.

    "What's that supposed to mean?" He glanced back with a broad smile, lowering his arms.  
    "Things are in motion that you have helped me push. So I should say thanks but it's a bit premature right now." He looked forward again and placed his hands behind his back. W-what!?  
    "But I've been doing everything I know of to stop you. How.." He turned his head so you could see his direct profile as he touched the end of his finger to the tip his nose. He turned his head forward just as he tripped over a stone, his arms flying in the air before he caught himself. He then giggled as he regained his stride. "There's a reason the name's not DEcipher kid. But since I like you kid, I might let you be among my peers, if you'll cooperate."  
    I snide, "Yeah right. You'll probably, I don't know, feed me to your peers if you had the opportunity. So, no thanks."

    Bill simply gives a shrug, "We'll see. Just don't forget that I gave you the option, and it's open if you change perspective." I readied to reply before seeing the path narrow, with an increase of fleeting beams of light shining through the trees, angled from the setting sun in the left. Bill took note of my lack of reply before looking straight ahead. "Must be a clearing."  
    And forward he sprinted, to which I followed with a yelp, "H-hey." He hopped out of the tree line, fading from sight. "Why do you always.." I pass through the trees, also passing through Bill as he stayed frozen in place. "..gotta run."

    In front of me stood a house made of stone and wood built into a mound like shape. It stayed silent with a wind brushing leaves across the ground, an open window swinging with a quiet creek. I turned around and saw Bill, who was standing defensively with a scowl faced towards the closed door. Worse than the one he had given the glowing spheres. I glanced between him and the home, confusion rising on my face. Then like a tsunami it hit me, a wickedness swarmed, knitting itself around me, poking it's needle at the edge of my mind. Oh how the spider and scorpion stood in defense, surprisingly together, against the protruding intrusion. Something evil was here. "Bill?"

    He straightened his back, to the sound of the slight quiver in my voice, looked up to the lowering sun and went to a tree. He reached up and grasped a large branch, and pulled and pulled until it broke with a snap, sending him to tumble backwards. He stood, the stick clenched into his hands as he marched forward straight to the door. "Bill, what are you.." I harshly whispered, being interrupted as he kicked down the door, giving a war cry as he barged in. "Bill!" I flew in behind him, entering the home.

    Once in the feeling intensified tenfold causing me to stiffen heavily. Bill stood in front of me, the stick hung loosely in his grip as the edge of his lip twitched. The house consisted of a single room, stone floor, a rug, bed, cupboard, dresser, night stand, basket of yarn, and a fireplace. Unlit candles adorned the room, emitting no light to the dim room. And covering the walls, as well as the bed, was an assortment of quilts, from wall to wall. The ceiling was strung with string hanging down like a limp wire from a failed tightrope walker performance having fallen off, pulling the rope loose from trying to hang on only to do the inevitable. Fall.

    "Filthy residue." Bill muttered as he walked to the side of the room and placed the stick against the wall.  
    "What?" He glanced back at me as he walked over to the window.  
    "Residue. You know, the stuff that sticks behind." he stated as he grabbed the creeping window, silencing its movement.  
    "I know what that is. I just don't know what you mean?"  
    Bill gave a sigh, "Something was here," as he shut the glass, "but now it's not." He walked over to the stick and broke it in half. "And this one left an awful taste. That's why I don't much care for witchery." He went to the fire place and put them on the partly burned wood. "It always leaves such a bothersome stain."  
    I flew up next to me Bill as he rearranged the stacked wood. "Wait, so this is a witch's 'residue' or whatever?"  
    He sat back as he looked down at the wood. "That's what I said, didn't I." He lifted up his hand and gave a snap.

    I felt a sudden flash erupt from within myself, I looked down and saw a blue flame, flickering its blue light within me. Bill stared at the wood before snapping again.  
    The flame grew twice as big, "B-Bill?"  
    "Just a second kid." He snapped a few more times, making the flame grow more so, licking against the edges of my being yet not going past them. "Why isn't this working?"  
    "Bill?"  
    "Not now kid. Come on." He was growing frustrated as he gave a line of snaps, growing the fire more until my whole being became a blaze, the sock on my hand burning up as it did.  
    "Bill!"  
    "Wha-" Bill yelled as he turned, freezing as he laid his eyes on me. His eyes flickered up and widened before he reached up.

    "Get into the fireplace."  
    "Wha-"  
    "Now!" He yelled as he pulled down smoldering strings. I looked up to see the high amounts of smoking strings. I then flew to the fireplace, catching the wood in a blaze of blue. I sat in the chimney, then looking down seeing no more fire within my transparent body, and seeing piles of string being tossed on the fire. I pass through the wall to see Bill throwing the last of the flaming string into the place of fire. He breathed heavily with eyes wide before looking up and seeing me. That was a different look he held in his eye. He stood up as he hid his eyes, walking over to the cupboard, kneeling before it and bringing it open.

    "Um, Bill?" He stuck his hands into the cupboard, the feeling of different textured fabrics passing over my fingers, before pulling them out holding a role of soft pale peach cloth.  
    "It's more than I thought."   
    "Bill?" He stood and laid the fabric out flat on the floor before going around the bed to search in the basket of yarn, the scratch invests of them rubbing over his hands.  
    "Hope this doesn't cut too deeply." He mumbled.  
    "Bill?" He pulled out a roll of string before moving to the nightstand, searching in the drawer.  
    "What?" He growled, his eyes flashing red. I flinched back.  
    "Uh. D-do you know what just happened?" He stilled his search as glanced back at me, his eye slightly relaxing, turning back to yellow.

    He looked down as he pulled out a pair of cold scissors, a smooth needle, and a ball full of pins. "I have an idea, but I'd like to let it simmer before serving it out. So for now I'm letting it cook." He kneeled before the clothe, putting the items down next to him.  
    "Oh, okay. Well, what are you doing?" He smiled as he picked up the scissors and began to cut.  
    "What a nosy child you are. Poking into everything. Be careful of where you poke. You may get more than just a bark." He continued to make cuts along the fabric as he hummed to himself. Child?

    "I am not a child."  
    He smirked as he made a turn in his cutting. "Then why are you acting like one?"  
    "I am not. You are far more childish than I." His smirk grew.  
    "And yet I am older than your human civilizations. What does that tell you?" He finished cutting a piece before moving to another space and started to cut there.  
    I cross my arms, "That age doesn't equate maturity. You have none of that."  
    "And you do, but that doesn't change that you're a child to human standards." He completed that one before going to another.  
    "And?"

    "And I don't go by human standards." I look at him for a moment.  
    "If that's so, then why did you call me a child?" He glanced up before looking back down at heat he was doing.  
    "Because I can."  
    "Seriously. Is that your response. 'Because I can.'"

    "It works for a lot of things and it's an honest answer." He looked up and gave a smirk, "Do you see how much of a bore it would be if I just told you answers instead of letting you figure a few out on your own?" He look d down as he started cutting in a different spot. "Now why don't you ponder on something or see how we can get to the river until sunset? You might find something new doing so."  
    I stare down at him before giving off an exaggerated sigh, "Fine, but don't do any funny business. I'll be watching you."  
    He gave off a small chuckle, "Hey. That's my job." as I flew out the door.  
    "What is wrong with him?" I say as I flew up.


	9. Beyond Our

    Creek. My claw does sing to me. Creek. Creek. I watch it as I lay on this frozen ground. Creek. My frozen ground, of my kingdom. Creek. Creek. "My subject all stay safe and protected." Creek. "They tried to run, but not fast enough." Creek. Creek. The crown upon my head allowed me to protect everyone. Creek. My subjects do "now adorn my gardens of cold." Creek. "No more warmth can be found in my kingdom." Creek. Creek. Outside, yes. Far beyond my borders, other kingdoms do grow, but "I do not travel" there. Creek. For all that "cross my path" will "become as my subjects" are. Creek. Creek. But "everyone shall" become like that. They will. Creek. "No they cannot." Creek. Creek. "But they must." Creek. "For why?" Creek. Creek. "They tell me to."

    Then from behind me comes a bursting sound. I stop pinching my claw and my hushed whispers, sit up and turn. There stood a blue sheer, swirling and sputtering sparks in the center of my chamber. I stand up and face it. A warmth is admitting from it, caressing my frosty skin. I smile at the forgotten sensation only to quickly diminish into a scowl.  
    "I said there is no more warmth!" I yelled to the sphere, bringing back my hand, and shooting an ice bolt. Through the sphere it passed through, disappearing. I frowned further, "Go away!" The sphere only did as it had been doing. Disobeying my orders. I shot more bolt, far more continuous now. "You are not welcomed. Now globing leave." The sphere did nothing against my ministrations, being oblivious to my command. I stopped, hugging myself every as I stared into the blue ball of heat, starting to melt my ceiling and floor. I could feel tears prickling my eyes, "Listen to me."

    Then, from each the center of the sphere, out shot a hook, flinging itself at me. It hit me in the forehead, knocking me over and sending my crown to partly roll away from me at impact. I laid on the ground, slightly curling up while holding my head, hissing as I did so. As I did this, the hook was being dragged back. It then got caught on the bottom of my torn pants. I felt a sudden tug as the hook stilled upon acting my clothing, catching my attention. As I felt myself start to get dragged back to the sphere, I looked down and saw what had caught, I tried to kick it off, only getting it more tangled in the ends of my pants.

    I grabbed at my hair, "Release me!" I then noticed my crown not upon my head, I looked up, to see it get further and further as I got pulled closer to the blue ball. I reached for it, not being close enough to grasp it. I kicked at the hook a few more times only to see no release. I turned onto my stomach and clawed at the ground, going against the rope, pulling it taught. "Come on." I stretched out my body until the tips of my fingers was nearly on top of the headpiece. With a single guff, I stretched, reaching the crown, which I quickly held to my chest. I the pull of the rope grew quicker to which I clawed at the icy floor with my robotic arm. I glanced behind me as my foot began to become surrounded by warmth, entering the sphere. I looked back ahead at a monstrous yellow beast frozen beside my laying spot on the floor. "Be good Jake." And the world vanished.

    Sparks flew all around me. Dancing in its flashing warmth. I heard voices echoing from behind me. They rose and fell in volume and venom. I flipped to my back in the weightless space. I then shoved my crown on my head, holding it down by my hand and claw. I looked back, seeing nothing but the closing of from whence I came until all there was to see was the continuation of the other sides. I turn and look down at the whole for which I was being dragged to. My foot passed through, swarming it in a damp heat that was of the most uncomfortable. I tried to kick again as my leg vanished beyond sight. The wall of the surface crawled up my body as I yelled to be let go. It grew higher, up my head, capturing my lips and the screaming they were emitting.

    Then it passed over my eyes and over the top of my head, dropping me onto the floor as it did. I held my head where it had hit the ground, wincing with closed eyes at each throb that echoed in my head. Voices reached my ears, ones I was not familiar with. I peeked my eye open, and I saw my ice boltz protruding out from the walls and machinery lying about. I looked lower and to my eye I saw an old man in a brown trench coat, red turtleneck sweater, black pants, muddy boots, glasses, grey hair and a big red nose.

    "I told you not to touch any of the buttons. We don't even know which dimension we opened to right now." He was arguing with another old man, this one with a stained tank top, blue striped shorts, slippers, glasses, and red cylinder with a yellow string upon his head. A fez hat?  
    "Hey, I had to figure out how to work these while you were gone. So I have an idea of what I'm doing. Besides, how was I supposed to know we were going to get pelted with ice." And in front of them was a girl with long, slightly curled brown hair, a headband, oversized sweater, skirt, shoes and rosy cheeks, who was staring down at me. And within her hand was a weapon looking item, a rope connected to it. And leading down from the extended rope was the hook.  
    "Ford? Stan?" She called warily. I quickly undid the hook as the two looked over. I stood as the sweater man pushed a button, causing the circled sphere to fade with a small pop behind me. Then the two headed over to me. I readied to flee only for the girl to step into my path,spreading her arms out, "Whoa, there. It's okay." stopping the other two.  
    "Mabel, get away from him. He could be dangerous." The less fit one spoke.  
    "What do you mean could? He's probably the one that did this." The one in brown said, gesturing to the ice damage.  
    "We don't know that. He could have been the one running away from whatever was shooting those." The girl stated, getting nearer, "We have to be nice. You know, polite."  
    "Yes well, we need to gain some momentum." The man in mud boots stated as he took a step ahead of the girl. I shrunk down from his stare.

    "S-stay back." He stilled a look of distrust growing on his face, masking it in a cloud of calm. But how I shaw it shine through. He took a step closer, "Stop." to which I backed up from.  
    "We don't want any trouble. We just want to ask a few questions."  
    "N-no. My glob. I-I can't. I need to leave." His face grew in its present distaste. The other man came up, hard and tired were his eyes.  
    "Well we need some answers, so start talking." I shrunk further away. The girl had apparently noticed my action and turned and faced the two men.  
    "Hold on. Let me try."  
    "You sure?" The man in slippers came up and put his hand on the shoulder of the one who had spoken.  
    "Ford, she's got this." The man in front looked at the other before looking back at the girl. They then backed up and the girl turned back around. She looked at me, fiddling with the sleeve of her sweater.

    She straightened up and stuck out her hand. "Hey, I'm Mabel. What's your  name?" I looked at her for a bit staying silent. She put down her hand, "You're the quiet type aren't ya?" I stared at her as I wriggled my hand and claw together. Don't do it.

    "Anyway you haven't seen a boy perchance have you? He's my.. brother." Her eyes grew dark and shallow before being quickly covered in shine. "He looks kinda like me but shorter hair, a reddish nose, and.. yellow eyes." She said almost harshly. There is anger. She looked at me as I gave no response. "What about a flying sock? One that talks. You seen one of them?" I continued my silence as the two men drew closer, I shrinking away. I looked her in the eye and saw a sparkle that was dim and dull. Was it fake? Is she tricking me? Does she know? Don't do it. I took a few steps back as they continued to get closer. I still stayed silent.

    "Answer already, kid. Cough it up already." The man in blue shorts said.  
    "Yes, we need to pasen things up." The man in mud boots stated as he took a step ahead of the girl. I shrunk down from his stare. The tank top man reached for something on a nearby counter. He passed it to the other man, to which I raised my claw.

    And I shot. The trenchcoat man's shoulder was sent backwards, him holding onto one side of the item while the tank top man held the other, tearing it in half.  
    "I did it. I said not to." I whisper. The man hit the ground with an "Umph." as the other yelled, "Ford." He went to pick him up as he growled at me. I smiled as the girl ran to the man. Tears prickled my eyes as I looked upon them, huddled and together. "I SAID TO GET AWAY." I yelled, bringing both hands up, aiming at them. "There is no more warmth." As I spoke, the man in the tank tops turned and ran to the back of the room, to which I shot at. "Come back and please join my subjects. There is no more danger."

    The girl helped the trenchcoat man take cover as the other reached for the lever, "You want back. Then go back." I turned my aim, shooting as he pulled the bar. A piece of rubble hit my flying projectile, sending it to hit the box that the lever was attached to, to which he jumped away from. I looked over to see the girl throwing debris at me. The man was yelling at the other to turn it off, saying how something was broken or the likes, as I covered my face from the flying shrapnyl.

    Suddenly, blue sparks shot from behind me, blowing a gast of wind as it did. Stones and trash was still being thrown at me, making me back up closer to the sphere. The man with the iced shoulder ran to the other, yelling for him to stop. As he reached the other, a paper flew into my face, startling me and sending me to tumble backwards into the sphere. Tears ran down my face as I passed through, partly soaking the paper. I heard the voices fade, venomous in tone,arguing as I had come in.

    Then, I feel myself land, hard on my back. I groaned as I lied there, reaching to scratch my head to feel nothing there. I scrambled to get pup off the scorched ground. And not far from where my head would be was my crown, I quickly crawled over and grasped it, slamming it on my head. I took a few deep breaths with my eyes closed. The air was different. I slowly opened them to see something I had not in some time, unfrozen trees. I stood as I glanced around, seeing that I was surrounded.

    I closed my eyes and held my head in my hand and claw, facing the ground and breathing hard. I peeked my eye open to see a torn, moist paper on the ground. I reach down and pick it up. It was blank. I turn it over and see a picture. One of a boy with brown hair, a reddish nose and looked like the girl like she said, but with brown eyes. I look at the photo for a moment longer before crushing it and putting it in my pocket. I felt a warm breeze pass through my blond hair sticking out of my hat. I run as I build piles of snow and ice upon the nearby trees and grass while a tear slips my eye.  
    "No more warmth."


	10. Fractured Walls

These trees were so dense. If it weren't for that I could fly up so high and the path cutting through them, we'd be lost within a foot into the brush. The trees were losing their colorful leaves, increasing the maze of foliage beneath one's feet. What even was this place? It was acting like it was fall but it was still summer just this morning. Gravity Falls didn't even do this. Unless it did somewhere in the woods I haven't seen yet. Buf Unkle Ford would have written something about that in the journals. Unless..

My eyes widened at the thought growing in my head. Unless he hadn't discovered this area before. Maybe we were beamed somewhere Ford hadn't recorded or explored yet. A smile grew on my face. Maybe I could. Then I could show everyone I can be cool like Ford. And I could start my own journal. I felt a prick in my finger causing me to jump. I then looked down at my transparent hands. But that won't happen until Bill gives me back my body. I look back on the house with a frown. What could he be doing? Probably nothing good. I look up at the sun seeing it almost touching the horizon. I guess that's close enough to sunset to go back in, I can't do much out here right now anyway.

As I near the door, Bill pokes his head out, "Not yet Pine Tree. It's not sunset yet." How did he..  
"What are you doing that I can't come in for? You're not making a noose are you?"  
He laughed, "You think you trust me so little yet you do so more than you realize that it's adorable." And he re-entered, closing the door.  
"I am not adorable." What is he talking about? He's the one I trust least. Why in the world would I trust a legitimate demon? Especially when the only thing he know how to do is be a manipulative jerk.

Unless he's saying I'm gullible. That's inaccurate. Mabel's far more..  
'We can catch him... It can't be that hard, he's using your body.' Mabel's voice rang in my head, stirring the insects around once more. Mabel's not here. I don't need to think about her. I turn towards the trees and fly through them, causing a forceful wind to burst from behind me.  
'You've been acting more... withdrawn since you and Ford have been hanging out.' I don't need to be criticized by her. I made a hard turn by a tree, sending its leaves to in a spiraling mass behind me.  
'...I was with friends...' And she's being hypocritical. I took another sharp turn, gaining more leaves following me.  
'What's up with you? You're not like the Dipper I know.' Then maybe you didn't know me. I rocket faster with gritted teeth, weaving between trees as I did. Then I saw an opening in the trees, I slow down, stopping just beyond the treeline. A enormous poof of leaves pop up from behind me, falling into the river in front of me, creating a blanket of reds, yellow, oranges, and brown, covering an entire section of the dreary blue. The river?

I glance back as more leaves whoosh out of the wooden space, fluttering down to the wet surface below. I'm all the way at the river, but.. I fly up over the tops of the trees, seeing the clearing where the house stood. ..But that's at least an hour walk if not more. I got here in less than a minute, I look back down as the leaves begin to travel with the flow with ovation all beams of sunlight sparkling on the water between them. I look back up towards the sun seeing it had not moved since I had last seen it. Bill did say to look for a way to the river until sunset and something to ponder over. Another prick sensation hit the tip of my finger. "Ouch!" I flinch and look at my finger seeing.. a droplet of 'blood' forming. "Is he trying to mutilate me or something?" I stick my finger in my mouth, sucking off the dripping blood.

Then I heard a sniffling and a cry. I looked around, trees being the only thing passing my vision. And then there it was. My eyes locked onto two white spheres hidden from across the river. But they were not locked on me. No, something before it had its attention. I pulled my finger from my lips and hovered low over the water. I floated ahead, nearing the other bank. I rose up, picking my eyes barely through the brush. Laying on the ground was a girl laying on the ground. Her hair was brown and long, bangs brushed over to the side of her forehead, a skirt of a sandy wood color, a shirt with long sleeves of white poking out of a black buttoned up afghan. And around her black boot was a root, branching out and grasping her leg. Her face was covered by her hands as she cried, lying on the ground.

I turned my gaze over to a close grouping of trees. There stood a figure, high in their stance. A pair of mismatched shoes, one who's laces were undone, beneath a pair of grey pants being held by a pair of suspenders. Underneath those was a white long sleeve shirt, mostly hidden by a navy blue cape, hanging down below the knees. Anything above his forearms was cast in shadow, his eyes emitting an intense glow. A lantern was held in his hand, swinging its golden light down upon the sniffling individual.

"I believe everyone was warned not to enter the unknown, have you not?" his voice echoed, as though it were laced in ebony song with an awkward teen.  
"N-no. I-I didn't kn-know. P-please." she shivered. The figure took a step, sending the shadow just below his chin, showing six gold buttons leading up to his fair olive toned neck. His eyes not wavering a bit.  
"Then take this as your first and FINAL warning." He tilted his head and the roots released the girl's ankle. She scrambled to her feet and she turned to run before a branch from a nearby tree reached and grabbed her by the arm, haunting her. "But if I find you here again, I will not be quite so generous." He raised his empty hand making the branch rise, lifting up her arm. "Understood?"  
"Y-yes. Yes. Just please, let me go." His hand lowered, releasing her arm.  
"Stay on the path." She nodded as she rubbed her arm. She whipped her eye as she took off towards the path behind her. The figure stared at where she vanished, waiting as the sound of her trudging faded.

His knees suddenly went weak, buckling from underneath him. A root grew up from the ground, catching him before he could fall onto the ground. His back bended back before it curled forward, sending his face to land in his hands, as their elbows rested on his knees and lamp on his lap, before the light could shine upon it. His hair was a desaturated deep brown, locks collecting in the middle of his forehead and edge of his face. Branches swirled outward from the sides of his head and a single red cone like hat sat on top. He kinds looked like some sort of.. forest druid gnome or something. The branches grew less sharp and hands gentle as his flesh tone came to a more healthy color.

"False words escaped thy lips, and yet I let thou pass. Though transpire I know not to allow, still I weaken to my gentle heart's transgressions." he sighed as he settled back against another root that sprouted up, supporting his leaning back. His face now was exposed with closed eyes, relaxed and tired under the light they shone under. A gentle face, round and soft with an angular nose and large ears on either side of his head. His brows were furrowed, and mouth set straight as worry seemed to prickle through the edge of his thin lips. I was intrigued.

I leaned forward to give a look closer only for the leaves in front of my breath be rustled into sound. His body went stiff and still as his eyes snapped open, locking themselves onto me. I could not help but freeze in his multi colored stare that seemed to shine lighter in the luminescence of the sun. The edge of his face seemed to turn black, like branches growing in from underneath, crawling under his skin. The tips of his fingers grew dark and sharp, even his branches seemed to sharpen and expand. He grasped the handle of the lantern before standing high and tall. He walked over to me in heavy strides yet made little of a sound besides the passing of air between his branches. He came up to the bush and made a swinging motion, making the bush spread apart down the middle, leaving me exposed to his glare. He stared down at me, his face unreadably stiff and emotionless. He breathed in from his nose as he eyed me.

Then he tilted his head to the side, his eyes slimming to a glaring slit. He then bent forward, coming up close to my face. I saw his eyes continually readjusting and jumping here and there, as though they could not gain focus. I slightly shrunk away as his brows furrowed and lips thinned. He tipped his head to the side then to the other. He then jumped, as though startled, causing me to shrink further back. He then looked down at his lantern, staying silent. Then like a sling, he shot up, setting his back rigid and straight, startling me. He spun around, his cape swirling around him, and walked into the darkening wood.

And he sung as he did, his voice not containing its awkward completion it had before.  
"Stay in your homes that lie oh so safely. Keep out of the wood my sweet little dear. Go and tell your friends quite cautiously. The Beast does travel ever so near." And away his voice faded to a gentle hum, carrying like an autumn breeze. The bush that had moved apart came back together as it had at first. I looked at were he had vanished to, hoping to see a glimpse of his luminous eyes or glowing lantern. But none I saw other than the fleeting light of the sun's rays. I look towards the sun seeing it set on the horizon. I give the small clearing one final glance, before turning around and shooting through the trees back to the house. New questions buzzed in my head.

I reach the house with a puff of leaves following behind. I float up to the door and ready to yell, only for the door to slam open with Bill standing there. He had a scowl on his face, "Get in."  
"Wha-"  
"GET IN!" I flew in, to which Bill slammed the door behind me.  
"Bill, what's going on?" Bill gritted his teeth as he held his forehead against the door.

"Who were you talking to?"  
"What are you-"  
He swung around, his eyes burning a furious red. "WHO WERE YOU TALKING TO!?" I shrunk back as he stared down at me.  
"I didn't talk to anyone."  
"Don't play that with me. You are like an open book. I could read you without needing to open the pages." He walked straight up to me, putting his face in mine, "So' who was it that was making you so intrigued, hmm?" He stared up at me, though I'd say it was down, as I returned his gaze. What does it matter so much? Why's it making him upset?  
"If I was such an open book, then why don't you tell me. You apparently read me SO well to do so." I passed him with my arms crossed, facing the still blue burning fireplace.

I heard a growl as something was thrown through me, hitting the wall and bouncing down to the floor. I looked down, my eyes slightly widening as I saw it. I leaned down and picked it up. I was actually able to pick it up. It was a fabric rag doll with big brown button eyes, small red button nose, threads of brown yarn for hair, a red tee shirt and grey shorts, arms and legs tightly sewn to the body. It looked like me. As I flipped it over I saw an opening in its back. I stuck my hand in, then opening and closing my fingers, making the mouth open and close. I look up at Bill who was stuffing himself into the bed, back facing towards me. I look down at the doll then back at him, guilt filling my stomach.  
"Bill I.."  
"We'll talk tomorrow." He interrupted before covering his head with the blanket. I watch him for a moment before lowering my eyes.  
"Yeah, okay." I turn around and lay on the ground, facing the fireplace. The doll held tightly in my arms and the flickering flames dancing before my eyes. Thoughts entered my mind as the fire, as my awake mind, faded to darkness.


	11. We Pass

Start writing your story

I couldn't sleep. This wasn't new to me but, at the moment, I found to be so strange.. and annoying. I flipped and I flopped on the ground that I couldn't even feel. Actually, I wasn't even on the floor but partly phased through it as I continued to turns on my sides. The fire had gone out some time ago, no longer giving it's luscious light or soft warmth. I was cold. I sat up, glaring at the walls. I'd think the added quilts on the wall would add some insulation but it did nothing to repel the bitter chill. I floated up, the doll held in my grasp, at least it held some warmth, but not much and grew cool with my hold. I looked towards the mound of blankets, covering a single body on the soft bed, slowly rising and falling with gentle breaths. He's asleep. Wait what?

Bill couldn't sleep. Could he? No, he's a demon, they don't sleep. He has to be out of the body if it's unconscious. That's what happened last time right? Right. I grew closer to the bed, going to the other side where Bill.. my body faced. That means it's empty. I looked down at the knotted blankets in as they clung tightly, like a cocoon, and fell aloft, leaving limbs and other sections of the body exposed from the blanket's cover. An empty vessel. I couldn't help the grin that spread on my face. I began to reach towards my body. I can go back in, no more being invisible.. I froze as the word entered my mind. But I'd still would be wouldn't I. I shook my head, trying to rid it of the flood of anger and sorrow flooded it; but it only shook it around, mixing them together below the arachnid's gaze. No, that wouldn't.. would it? 'You're just overthinking.' Mabel's voice rang in my head. I felt my mouth turn into a snarl, the creases grow between my brow and nose crinkle. No I'm not. I dropped the doll and shot my arms forward, passing through my body. Nothing. I shoved my arms again into my body's chest. I should be getting control of my body. I should be able to just slip in like with the empty sock.. An anger and fear rose up my throat, like bile contaminating the bass of my tongue, covering my tastebuds in it's vile flavor. I can't get in.

Suddenly a single eye shot open, causing me to yelp in surprise. I felt a sudden flash of heat rush from my face to the tips of my toes. It was as if boiling water had been dumped on my freezing figure. If I was in my body, the sensation would surely send me into shock. It locked onto me in its golden stare. My mouth slacked and knees shook. It's not empty. It watched me as I pulled away, clenching and unclenching my hands in front of me as I held them close to my chest. It's pulil slowly adjusted its size in its wide gaze, illuminating the blanket that hung loosely over all his face but the single eye. It was unnerving, seeing only the one eye, like how Bill's face.. surface.. whatever he has, held. What made it worse was its expression. I couldn't tell what it was, making me more on edge.

"What do you think you're doing?" I jumped at the broken silence.

"I.. well.. you see.. there was.. with the.. yeah.. and then the.. so that.. um... yeah." I rubbed the side of my face as it began to feel moist, it felt sweaty. But I couldn't sweat, right? I was a ghost.. kinda. Well whatever it was, it was an uncomfortable norm. But it was not helping at this.. actually, in any moment. His eye narrowed, the top of his eyebrow poking out from beneath the draped fabric.

It then closed, sighing from beneath the cloth.

"I know you're mind's not THAT broken. At least it shouldn't be from last I've checked." He reached up and flung off the blanket covering his face, sitting up almost immediately as he did. His face was stiff like stone, eyes both glowing in the darkness, contrasting against the subtle blue light of the moon shining through the window. "Now I'll rephrase myself." He stood up and walked up straight up to me as I backed away, looking me straight in the eye. "Do not. Tempt me. To break. That mind of yours. So. Soon." He hissed, jabbing his finger literally through my chest with each period he ended. He brought his hands up, putting them on either side of my head against the wall I was apparently leaning partially through. I crouched slightly as he brought his face closer to mine. I was petrified by the look that was held on my own face with hard yellow eyes. They flashed a harsh blue as he growled down to me, "Unlike you, I will not hesitate."

They quickly turned back to yellow as he went back to the bed and sat down, crossing his legs beneath himself, his elbows placed on his knees giving a inquisitive look towards me.

"So, mind telling me what was keeping you up or should I say it for you?" I stared at him in silence, simply flabbergasted at his sudden demeanor change. I felt my mouth gaping open and closed before I snapped it shut, straightening my back as I crossed my arms, sprouting a frown on my face.

    "Who's to say that something was keeping me awake. Maybe you're just mistaken." He simply rolled his eyes and grew a small smirk.

    "Do you think I'm blind? I may not hold the title of being the most highbrow being of the dimensions but I am immensely far from being as incompetent of seeing as you play me as." He stare did not waver as mine did, avoiding his eyes as much as possible. It wasn't working too well. Bill gave a tilt of his head, his mouth morphing into a straight line. "Spill the beans." I stayed silent as I stared at the nearest wall. I wasn't going to give him the satisfaction.

He continued his stare before giving a sigh, "Alright, how about a deal?"

    "No." He raised his brow with another tilt of his head. He stuck out his arms as though to calm a tempered animal.

    "Now don't be rash. It's not like the last one if that makes you feel any better." I turned a harsh glare onto him, one that he took notice but paid little mind. "Or not. I'll just put it in the air then. I'm wagering that we establish a type of give and take clause so to speak." I raised my brow, but did not say a word, letting him continue. "I want to know things. I know what you're thinking. 'What would an omniscient being want to know?' right?" I gave a stiff nod, holding my glare on him. "Well there's some loopholes to that title. Anyway, I also know that you too wish to expand my knowledge as well, obviously. The amount of questions you haven't even yet to ask are over abundant. What I'm saying is, you can ask me a question for me to answer and I'll ask one that you have to answer." He put his arms down, placing them onto his knees in a relaxed fashion. "Somewhat like an eye for an eye type deal." He watched me, waiting for my affirmation.

Not now. I gave a smirk.

    "And I'm the only one that 'has' to answer?" He looked at me with a gleam now shining in his eye. I frown again as I catch it in my sight before it hid away.

    "Observant, aren't you. Alright, I'll also 'have' to answer one of your questions. Now is it a deal?" I watch him vigilantly. There has to be more to it.

    "What's the catch?"

    "No catch here. Just two beings that have questions to be answered. And I think you'd appreciate receiving some answers correct?" I would. I'd like that more than I should but what would he want to know from..

    "This isn't something that you can used to fulfill your plans on domination, is it?" His eyes went lidded and mouth serious.

    "To be honest, no. I mean, it could but I'd doubt you'd leak information. Plus you can skip a question if you so desire, but then I get to ask another in its place."

    "And I'm guessing that's the same vise versa?" He gave a smile that pulled at the edges of his lips.

    "Righty-o'." This deal doesn't sound so bad. Then again neither did the other one and look at me now. Floating like a balloon while a demon occupies my own body. But still.. I could get so many questions I've had answered. And I can still skip his questions if I don't want to answer them. I looked back up at him, raising my brow.

    "And there's no funny buisness?"

    "Not unless you want it to be." I scowl down at him to which he opens his arms wide. "Okay no funny buisness. So what do you say?" I stare at him before turning to the side, thinking. I could ask the most powerful being in the universe anything. Anything at all. I stared down at my hand then out the window, seeing the tree's silhouettes waving in the night breeze. I looked back at Bill who held an expression held in a blank mask, even his eyes appeared to be neutral. His hand hung in the air, waiting for mine to grasp his.

I watched it before turning around.

    "I say no." Bill shrugged his shoulders as he crawled over the bed, getting to the other side. I look over at him and the empty area around the foot of the bed that he could have simply walked around.

    "I'll leave the option open if you change your mind." He came up to the cupboard and began to sift through them, using the glow of his eyes as a light. I stared at him as he pulled out some rolls of fabric, a shiny black one and a white one, and placed them on the ground next to him. He walked around the room and recollected the pair of scissors and needle and thread. He sat down and began to cut. I watched him for a moment before I couldn't hold it in. "What are you doing?" He looked back at me, giving a smirk while extending his hand. I sneered at it before turning around, looking at the wall instead of him. He turned back to his work and continued to snip at the cloth. The smoothness of it corrected my fingers as Bill held it down with every cut. I look down at my hands, clenching and unclenching them to rid them of the feeling but it continued. Why can I feel what he does? Every rough surface, every smooth one, every.. "Ouch." I jumped as I looked at my other hand, seeing a blood like liquid bead on its end. I stuck it into my mouth and hissed. ..prick. I turned and from the corner of my eye I saw Bill staring at me, a questioning look transforming into one like a miner who had just struck gold. Why would he be.. I look down at his hand and see a needle being held away from his bleeding fingertip. Oh.

    "Interesting." He said as he wiped the bloody appendage onto his smug lip, smearing the red liquid, then proceeded to lick it off in a slow manner.

I began to feel angry in frustration. Now he knows. He knows and now he's going to use it against me. Oh how dandy for me. I pulled out my finger as I aggressively wiped it on my ghostly shirt. His leer then fell as a furrowed brow raised in its place.

"Oh." They then lowered and knotted into his forehead as he turned back to the fabric, sucking off the last of the blood until it stopped. "Interesting." Is that it?

"What!? Interesting? Is that all you've got to say?" He returned his attention back to the fabric, silently cutting at it. "Hello? Dipper to Mr. Psycho. Where's the whole bragging about using something against me and whatever. This," I gestured to his posture as he slumped over the fabric more and more, chopping at the cloth, "is just weird." At that word, he gave a chuckle as his cutting became more gentle.

"You don't know weird. Not yet." The spider at the base of my skull crawled against its walls. The flood having smeared against them has drained but still lingers in its hold. I cross my arm as I looked down upon him.

"I guess you're not going to tell me what that means either."

"I won't need to. You'll know it when you see it. And it'll be marvelous. To me." I give a sigh as I looked around the room and spot the rag doll on the floor. I float over as the snipping fills the air. I grasp onto it, feeling the coldness where my hands had been on it that morning. I place it onto my hand and begin working the mouth open and closed. I looked back up at Bill who was leaning over the fabric, sliding the cutted piece to the side before moving to begin another.

"Bill?"

"Hm?" He said, continuing his cuts. I brought my eyes down to the doll as I held its hand in my other, rolling it between my fingers.

"You said you wanted to talk?" He stopped cutting and looked back at me, then to the window, shining the moon's blue light in from behind me.

"I said 'we'll talk in the morning.'" He looked back at me then at the cloth clutched in my grasp, he looked back at the fabric and began cutting again. "But now could suffice." I fly over towards him and lean against the wall, only to partly fall backwards, to which I caught myself and sat straight up, legs crossed and float a bit off the ground. I fidgeted in place as Bill continued his cutting.

"Why did you make this?" I asked lifting the doll up. Bill stopped and looked up at me, his eyes lidded as he stuck out his hand, his lip thin and straight. I stared down at him as I threw my hand into my lap, "Are you serious?" He shook his hand at me, his eyes watching me close. I stared at it for a moment and growled, "Fine." as I grasped it.

He smiled and his eyes grew wide, "Alright. Also you might want to drop the puppet."

I looked at him confusingly, "Wha-" before feeling a heat rise in my chest, I threw the doll onto the floor as the flames filled me, spreading down my hands onto Bill's. He smiled as he clenched my hand before releasing, making the flames quickly blow out like a candle. I quickly looked around the room but saw nothing scorched or burning this time. I lean over and re-pick up the doll, putting it back on my hand.

"I'll give you the honors. What is your first question? I know you have many." He picked the scissors back up and continued his cutting. It was true. I don't know which one to ask. Wait, yes I do.

"What are your plans?"

Bill chuckled. "Skip."

I groan, "Is there anything you can tell me?" Bill gave a click of his tongue before sticking it out of the side of his mouth.

"That it's going to be fun. To me." I couldn't hold back the rolling of my eyes in my skull. Actually I could have, but it was a worthy eye roll moment. He gave one last dramatic snip and moved the fabric piece over and began cutting again. "My turn."

He looked straight into my eye, pausing his hand on the scissors, smile dropping immediately. "Tell me, who was it that you spoke to?" I sat, partly dumbfounded. Really?

"That's your question?" His face did not show any glimmer of jest. I gave a sigh.

"I didn't talk to anyone."

"Don't lie to me."

"I'm not lying. I literally didn't say a word."

"You don't have to 'say a word' in order to speak to someone. You're technically not saying anything since you're not speaking through the puppet."

"That reminds me. Why did you make this thing?" I say through the puppet, sticking it out at him as I did.

"I will not answer that until you answer my own prior." His eyes were edging with red, like a blood tide flooding in and out of yellow sanded beach.

"Why do you care to know?"

"I could ask you the same. Now spill."

I threw up my hands, shouting, "The guy with the colored eyes." I grasped the sides of my head with closed eyes, causing the puppet to look like it was eating the side of my head. "The one we saw earlier this afternoon. I saw him in a clearing, but I didn't talk to him." I glanced up and saw Bill peering at me, they were an orange hue, as if they could decide over red or yellow.

"What did you two do?" I rubbed my forehead with the mouth of the doll.

"Nothing." 

"He wouldn't do just nothing. Now what did he do?" A heat pounded within my head as I gripped at my knees.

"You already asked your questions. Now it's my turn." I open my eyes, staring back at the orange spheres illuminating the dark, mixing with a blue light that beamed onto his face, radiating from my own eyes. I closed them and took a deep breath, exhaling slow and long. "What is it about that guy that makes you go so on edge?"

Silence filled the room like smoke musking the air. I cracked my eye open and spied something of a rare sight. Bill's eyes were lowered to the ground, back to their golden glow, lips turned down in a subtle frown, and nose scrunched like a skunk had just sprayed it's fewms directly into them. His hands fumbled with the pair of scissors grasped in them. He leaned forward and continued in cutting the fabric as he had before.

"Skip." I crossed my arms as I stared down at him.

"Okay. Then why is it that you know 'he wouldn't do just nothing?'"

"Skip." I furrow my brows and leaned forward.

"Do you know him?" Bill's scissors jerked forward, getting fabric jammed into it's blades. Bill leaned forward and worked on it to unstick it.

"You can say that."

"How?"

He looked up at me and glared. "You already asked your questio.."

"You got to get two answered now I get two." I interrupted, returning the glare. Bill stared at me before lowering his head and retracted the scissors from the fabric.

"Go ahead." I looked down at him as I leaned back.

"How?" He looked up at me and stared me in the eye. I stared back. I wasn't about to be talked out of this one. He held his gaze before letting his eyes droop then gave a big sigh as he lowered his head. He took a final cut as he moved another piece to the side before begining at another.

"I guess a little tale couldn't hurt."


	12. In Light

Days have passed. Days. And Mabel’s not keeping up too well. She keeps up her cheerful facade up pretty good, but it’s not fooling me. I know far too well what she’s going through to be so easily deluded. It’s hard to see the contrast from her behaviors. She laughs and continues to joke around like any other day and still, I barely see her. She’s always hanging out down in that basement, keeping an eye on that blasted portal, hoping that the next thing that comes out is her brother, healthy and well. Only to be met with another unfamiliar face. Each more unfriendly than the last.

It’s taking it’s toll on her and everyone. She’s been becoming more agitated, more closed in, more.. not Mabel. And the moment someone comments on it, she covers it up, like it was just their imagination. And it hurts. It hurts that I don’t know what to do. Don’t know how to help. Soos and Wendy have been helping where they can, which is appreciated, but it’s not doing much. Ford’s been doing what he can with the portal and such, but he’s not the best emotional support, and neither am I. He’s been linking it from dimension to dimension, hoping to get the right one. So far there’s been no success, but Ford says we’re making progress, which gives a little hope to the glitter loving girl. Though Ford’s been slowing it down, saying the portal needs to cool before turning on again for some sciency reason he won’t share. As if it would be the end of the world or something if he let it out or something. But what do I know.

So far, there’s been quite a number of beings that come out for these past days. Ones that looked like they could have been displayed right in the shack and others that looked half normal and half.. whatever they were. To say, I got a few new ideas for the shop. Anyway, most of them were.. difficult. One glitched around the room with candy in her hair, another had needles for fingers, spider like legs, button eyes and blue hair that tried stabbing needles and buttons into our faces; she had gotten a hard wallop straight back into the portal, courtesy of me. A purple girl had flown around with quite literal, heart eyes and six arms, she seemed to be quickly disinterested and flew back before we could catch and interrogate her. I don’t think we’d get much out of her anyway. The only thing she kept saying was “boy.” Mabel even said that she was obsessed, which was saying something coming from her. My personal favorite was the tentacle arm boy. All he did was look around a bit and froze when he spotted none other than Ford. I looked back and was met by a look of shocked recognition. The boy then shot ink, half drenching him in the stuff and ran back into the portal. I could not hold back the laughter that erupted from my gut as he begrudgingly wiped off his glasses. It’s almost a shame that Wendy and Soos missed that one, that would have been pure gold. Even Mabel gave out a good chuckle.

Though there was one from yesterday. One that was.. odd. Soos and Wendy had things going on today so they couldn’t be here. Plus it was a weekend so they didn’t have to be here for work so I let is slide. So it was just Ford, Mabel, and myself today. Usually when Ford opens the portal, one of those.. things, or whatever they are, pop out. This one didn’t give such an introduction. I decided to start up the machine, to let it warm up before Ford came down, so it’d be ready. I’ve tried to persuade her to stay upstairs or go and hang with one of her friends when Ford and I were working on this, but she was persistent and stayed close by, that backpack of her’s staying right next to her. Suddenly, spears of ice shot out of the portal, crashing into the debris that already lied around. I pushed Mabel down behind the counter as I bent down, keeping an eye on the blue bolting sphere as the shooting ice seemed to pause. Soon Ford came rushing down and was he upset. He started lecturing on how I shouldn’t be touching anything, that I didn’t understand what I was doing and so on. I got all upset and started to yell back at him. We grew louder in our stubborn insistence of our opinions. I couldn’t help but think as we continued our yelling, why did things have to end up like this? We weren’t always this way. We just kept on arguing as if there was nothing else around us. Like we had quickly become consumed in it.

Then I heard a small voice, one that pierced through our screaming. We immediately stopped and looked over. There stood Mabel, grappling hook in hand. What was on the other end made my stomach go at unease. On the ground laid a boy with thin limbs, pulling off the other end of the grappling hook. He had one robotic arm and another normal looking one that held onto a golden like crown, with red jewels adorning it, like it was a life line. It sat on top of some sort of white hood hat thing with nubs. His clothes were tattered, ripped and stretched like he had a tussle with a bear, or an angry cat. He quickly stood, stumbling like a newborn, causing his clothes to shag, moving far too freely for him to be at a healthy body weight. He had long blond scraggly hair that stuck out around his face, greasy and full of filth, like it hadn't been washed in ages. He had a long nose that looked like it work better as a beak. His eyes jumped from here to there, like a trapped animal looking for escape. And they were big and blue like the shirt he wore. And something about them, what seemed to lie within their cold gaze, made me on edge. And there's only so many things that put me on edge.

Ford must have felt it too for he did something he didn't do with any of the other ones. He shut down the portal. If this guy was as bad as he feels like, we don't want him getting reinforcements. He changed his position like he was ready to fight, and Mabel stepped in front of him. I told her to get away, to which Ford had to intersect and criticize my wording. Mabel refused to move. Ford then stepped forward, wanting this done with just as I. The boy began to shake and quiver. He had so little meat on his bones that you could practically hear them rattling against one another. His eyes grew bigger as he yelled at her to stay back, stuttering in his words. Ford, as impatient as he was becoming, took another step forward only for the boy to yell again as he backed off, showing off a gap where a tooth should've been. Ford tried to talk with him, but it only seemed to make him turn chicken. It wasn't going anywhere real fast so I stepped forward, giving him a little persuasion. He only shrunk away.

Mabel stepped up and told us to let her have a crack at him. Ford asked if she were sure. I stepped up, putting my hand on his shoulder and telling him that she got it. He looked at me for a moment before taking a step back with me. Mabel gave a smile then turned around, talking to the boy. I kept my eye on him, something was off about him; like his head’s been in the sun too long kind of off. He wouldn’t answer Mabel’s questions and seemed as if a pin was dropped, he’d start jumping around like a blind jack rabbit on hot asphalt. I’ve seen it happen, right on main street. It’s not graceful in the slightest. I spoke up, startling the kid, telling him to spit it out. Ford then stepped forward in front of Mabel. He looked back at me then glanced at the counter next to me. I looked down as saw a photo. One of two siblings, side by side. The one that Mabel had moved, waiting for that same face to come out with it’s big brown eyes, familiar and just.. him. For him to be next to her again. I pick up the photo and took it over.

As Ford grasped it, his shoulder shot back, ripping the the photo in half. I yelled his name as the ice, covering his shoulder, met my gaze. I went over and lifted him up, he groaned as I did and made a quiet curse under his breath. I glared at the boy who had tears start to form in his eyes, and a far too wide of a smile stretched across his face. He began to yell as he lifted his hands, tears now falling down. This punk. Whatever he had to say, I’ve had enough. I ran to the back where the switch laid, him shooting at me along the way. His aim isn’t the greatest thankfully. He kept on talking nonsense about going back as Mabel helped Ford over to a pile of rubble and hid behind it. I glared at the brat as I grabbed hold of the lever and pulled. If he wanted back, I’ll give him the express route. I pulled the bar, hearing the hum of the machine turn on, beginning to open the portal back to where he had come from.

Suddenly, a spear of ice hit the lever box, causing it to sputter and spark. I heard Ford start to yell at me, I turned around, spying Mabel throwing debris at the boy, backing him closer to the portal. The flashing light shining onto the wet streaks down her cheeks. Ford ran over to me, yelling,  
“Turn it off! The safety instalments will malfunction if it overheats.” We ran over and began both tried to pull the lever, Ford’s iced shoulder pressed hard against mine. He looked back, his eye on one of the marking that was glowing a furious red. “Come on. Come on. I can’t let there be another rift.” I stared at him blankly.  
“What are you talking about a rift?”  
He glared back at me and started pushing harder, “We’ll talk later. Right now, we need to stop this.” I watched him then glanced back at the portal, seeing the boy fall backwards into it, flailing around with some paper plastered over his eyes. And there before the opening was Mabel. She was holding onto a protruding stone, so hard her knuckles were white, as she was being pulled to the opening. I turned back to the lever and shoved at it, hard, making the switch turn off.

Mabel dropped to the floor with a gruff. I ran over to her and helped her up as she wiped her face, hiding her tears as though they were never there.  
“You alright? Nothing’s broken?”  
“I’m fine Grunkle Stan.” She dropped her arm and used her other sleeve to wipe her nose. Lie, her beating organ is still cracking and crumbling with every failure. I can see it.  
“Well, maybe you should rest for a while. Cuddle up with that pig and whatnot.”  
“Yeah. Okay.” She walked over and up the stairs, her feet treading up every one. Another disappointing encounter. I turned to Ford, who was checking valves and gages factly. He suddenly gave a long sigh.  
“That was too close.”  
“What was too close?” He looked at me, his eyes suddenly hardened.  
“A horrible malfunction. One that would happen again if you continued to ignore my warnings.” I returned his glare.  
“I’m sorry, but your warnings are not in the forefront of my mind. A little girl that is devastated by the loss of her brother just after a fight is. She is suffering, and I'm not going to let that follow her forever.” His eyes quickly hid from mine as he stared at the wall. “Now what is this about a rift?” Ford took a deep breath. And began to shove me towards the stairs.  
“Don't worry about it. Go check on Mabel. I'll be up in a minute.” I looked back at him as he stopped at the foot of the stairs.  
“Telling me not to worry does just the opposite. And you will be up in a minute because we're going to talk about this.” Ford turned his head to the floor, hiding his eyes.  
“There's nothing I can speak about right now.” I turned around and stared down at him.  
“This isn't just us anymore, these kids are in far too deep to not be part of this. Our problem between us is still ours and they don't need to be involved in that, but..” I took a deep breath and sighed, “something's gotta change. For the kids’ sake.” I began heading back upstairs. “For the kids.” Ford watched for a moment, picking off bits of ice melting off his shoulder. He let out a long sigh then walked over to the counter, opening a hatch. He reached in and picked up the snow globe like object and held it gently, the sound of the elevator humming through the air.  
“You're right, but I wish you weren't.”


	13. And Dark

"Now how should I begin?" The light of the moon shone through the window, bouncing off the multi-natural colored quilts adorning the darkened room. Bill's golden eyes, beaming yellow light, focused on the cloth he cut at before him. My own floating form giving off a blue glow against the rough wooden floor below and the hanging quilts behind me. I leaned forward as I watched his face, calm like a mother about to spin a tale to their loving child. I think I was about to throw up at the thought. His face suddenly lit up, "How about from the beginning." He gave a glance before giving a small smirk. "I believe that is how stories start, but do not fret about my story telling. I have had no need to tell any tales before so this shall be an experience. Though I did help the 'Brothers Grimm' in the more gruesome sections of their own fairytales. The classic ones not the wimpy ones they've become."  
"Can you please start already?"  
"Patience. You're sound too much like Kryptos with that tone." Bill scoffed. He looked down and continued cutting.

"I knew little about him before meeting. He wasn't much of a social guy, I knew that much. He never came to any daemon or demon get togethers.."  
"Demon?" Is that what he was? I thought as I remembered how gentle and tender he looked. Then I recalled the sudden change as his fingers grew black and veins a harsh blue. It's possible. Bill flicked his wrist up and pointed the closed scissors at me.  
"Please leave all questions until the end." He retracted the utensil and returned to cutting. "Anyway, he was always missing all the deliciously grotesque meals.."  
"You can eat?" He stared at me and frowned.  
"What did I just say?" I opened my mouth ready to reply before closing it, furrowing my brow as I leaned forward. He looked at me for a moment more before going back to the cloth. "Thank you. As I was saying, he would always miss all the deliciously grotesque meals, the small party games like disembowel the alien, pin the victim to the cannibal, and the good old classic of 'Go Pirana'. But he was always at the meetings. Every single one, but he'd never do anything. Wouldn't delve into plans, take part in in universal domination discussions, heck, he never would talk. Not like there weren't others that did the same thing, there were lots of mutes and anti-socials around so he didn't really stick out much. I never really took too much notice of him as I generally conversed with the more chaotic crowd as you can guess.

"The first time he really caught my eye was when Teeth decided to mess with his lantern thing he always carried. And I mean always. The thing never left his side. But did Teeth get whooped. 8 Ball tried to help, but got thrown across the room instead. If Pyronica weren't there, they'd definitely be missing a few molars and eyes." I leaned forward. I didn't know these guys that he was talking about, but if they were other demons like Bill, and that guy was able to do that. He was definitely not someone to take lightly. "Others tried to mess with him but soon where running off with their tails between their legs, at least the ones that had tails. The ones that didn't, just scrammed. I didn't feel like breaking one of his little twigs so I didn't bother him." I rolled my eyes as I placed my chin into the palms of my hands, my elbows resting on my knees. Bill took another snip and moved the piece over by the rest, going back to cut out another. "I did try to talk to him. He seemed like someone that I could use on my side, but when I did he just said he worked alone. I understood, I mean, that's how I like to do my personal dealings, but that didn't stop me from trying to persuade him. Didn't go too swimmingly. I eventually let him be. Mostly. He just wasn't a nut ready to crack. We didn't really converse after that and most of everyone started leaving him alone too. We could take a hint."  
"Why can't you take my hints?" The sound of wood being pierced ricocheted from behind my head, Bill's hand reaching towards my face. His hand passed through my mouth to behind my head, his eyes locked onto mine. He jerked his arm, pulling the scissors out of the wall and bringing them back to the fabric.  
"You don't listen too well, do you?" I stayed silent as I sat up and rubbed at my mouth.

"Now than without further interruptions, I shall continue" Bill stated as he pushed the remaining fabric and scissors to the side, pulling the cut pieces, needle and thread before him and began to sew. "Then not that long ago, sometime after I had met Sixer but before meeting you, he slowly stopped showing up and when he did, he was without his lantern. Now I don't know about everyone else, but I found that peculiar, especially since he protected it like it was his immortal life line. And I mean protect. I tried to get it to use it as a bartering tool once. He wasn't overly thrilled. What got my brow raised was his obnoxious singing. He he didn't do it much though. Just when he was leaving, going back to wherever it was he came from. Something about it rubbed me the wrong way. Really bad. But what really began annoying me was how he got more and more snide each day. I can be quite snide myself but when I do it, I do it verbally and obvious, he kept his veiled, but I could have seen it with one eye closed. If there's one thing I know, I don't like it when people think they can hide things from me. That and called off deals. Synthesized music. Kids. I could go on and on.  
"Anyway, I told him to stop but he turned around and had the audacity to threaten me. So I set him on fire and sent him back to where he's always disappearing to. All his precious bark he had on his ugly mug burned away, leaving all of his ugly mugs uncovered." He didn't look ugly. He had a few oddities but he seemed fairly normal to me. "He was furious. I mean, if I had an ugly face like that, I'd be mad about my makeup being removed too. But I don't need to wear makeup since I'm already such a stunner" Bill looked down at the body he inhabited and gave a short chuckle. "Okay, not right now, but you've already seen my glorious looks so you know what I'm talking about." How many times did I need to roll my eyes? If I kept rolling them at all the eye roll moments, my eyeballs would have popped out of my head and be rolling on the floor. If ghost eyes could roll on the floor. "But I at least expected him to come back and try to give a good curse or two; which would have been useless because my incredible powers would have allowed me to simply deflect them away. I didn't expect to see him again after that."

"Until yesterday." Bill glanced up as he snipped a thread of string and tied the end.  
"Yeah." Silence filled the air were words had been placed. I shifted in the air, waiting for him to continue.  
"So.."  
Bill gave a small "Hmm?"  
"Is that it?" Bill glanced up at me before looking back down.  
"Hmm." Bill humed, keeping his head down, turning the fabric around and began to sew the other side. He stayed silent threading the string through the fabric.  
"Why did you get all on edge about him? Yesterday, I mean." Bill looked up at me with his eyes half lidded before continuing with his sewing.  
"He gives me a bad feeling. And coming from me, that's really bad. Plus it doesn't help that I don't know what his main.. ability, lets call it, is, nor his name at the least." Excuse me.  
"Wait. Wait. You tell me this whole tale about the guy, which was poorly told, and you don't even know the dude's name?"  
Bill shrugged. "Hey, I don't have a lot of practice okay. It's not everyday that I need to tell a tale. But no I didn't. No one knew. He never introduced himself at any of the millenniums of gatherings. He liked keeping his trap shut." I watched Bill as he simply kept his eyes down and continued to sew.  
"And what do you mean by ability?" Bill glanced up at me as if I were an idiotic child asking a stupid question.  
"Well, I'm a DREAM demon. So my ability mostly revolves around with things of the mind and such. But I have other tricks as well. You know this. My guess is that his has something to do with trees and stuff, but I don't know. He never really showed them off."  
"But you said that this Teeth and 8 Ball got beaten by him. How?"  
"He never touched them. He just outsmarted his opponents, which isn't hard with Teeth and 8 Ball. Not sorry to say, but they're dimwits." Bill looked up and pointed the needle at me. "Now I get to ask three questions."  
I gave a hard sigh, rubbing my brow. "Shoot."  
"I don't have a gun."  
"Bill."  
"Okay. Okay. Take a joke. My question is, what did he do when you saw him yesterday?" Bill watched me as I stared back at him. He's not going to give it up.

"Before or after he saw me?" Bill's brow furrowed as he clicked his tongue.  
"Both."  
I straightened my back, stretching my arms over my head. "Well before he noticed me he was talking to some girl, kept his face in the shadows" Bill snickered at the comment. "She was caught in some roots and whatever, crying. He was telling her something about the 'unknown.' The roots let her go only for some branches to grab her and he said to her to stay on the path. She was released and ran off." Bill's brow furrowed but stayed quiet. "He sat down and said a rhyme thingy. Then he saw me and walked forward, out of the dark and stared at me." Bill watched me, his eyes narrowed and focussed right on my face.  
"And?"  
"He walked away Singing. Then I came back here."

"Anything else you noticed?"  
"Um.. Well, he was kinda dressed like a gnome." Bill stopped sewing and looked at me.  
"A gnome?" Bill asked, with a disbelieving undertone.  
"You know those short being with the pointy hats and.."  
"I know what a gnome is. But are you sure?"  
"Red pointy hat right on top of his mess of hair."  
"Hair?"  
"Bill, you alright? You already owe me three questions."  
"Two. You just used one. And I'm fine."  
"Then why are you acting so surprised? If it weren't for the branches and the eyes, he would have looked like a regular human.. except for the vein and claw thing." Bill stared at me, his eyes wide and brows low.  
"Because that's not his form."  
"Form? What do you.."  
"You know how I usually don't look like this." Bill interrupted, gesturing to his borrowed body.  
"You mean.." Bill smiled up at me with his teeth gleaming.  
"You're not alone in the mindscape, ghost boy."


	14. So Please

    I'm not alone. I'm not alone! If what Bill says is true, then there's another person who got their body taken. If I could find them, I'd have someone else to talk with other than this narcissist. Maybe I could help him get back into his body. Then he'd return the favor and help me stop Bill's plans. Hopefully. But he could be tricking me. I look back at Bill, who is holding a small frown, with eyes that seem low and clouded, not seeming to fully focus on his un- and re-clenching hands laying in his lap. He looked up at me then suddenly, gripped the edge of his crossed legs, making his knuckles turn white, and gave a face splitting smile, far too forced to be real, and glazed eyes. I could feel the pressure of his nails digging into the flesh of his legs, sure enough to leave cresent indents when he released.  
    "You're sure excited." This was odd. What's with this demeanor? It's like a beaten puppy happy to see their abusive owner, readying to kick them again. Why would he look at me like that?  
    "Yes?"

Bill scowled over at the window, mouth just as forced as before. He turned back and pulled up the pile of fabric laying on the ground, standing up as he did so. He flipped it over his head, grunting as his head got stuck in the opening.  
"Are you stuck?"  
"No." Bill kept working his head through until it popped through like a gopher out of its burrow, the collar of the poofy blue vest sticking out. "Told you." He looked down, seeing a bundle of fabric in front of his face, and glared at it. He began to spin the heap of fabric collected around his neck around until the large lump was behind his head. He released the fabric and let it drape down from his shoulders down to his ankles, partly swinging loosely around his legs. I suddenly felt a warmth wrap around me that I had not felt since this morning in bed, wrapped up in a snug blanket like a cocoon in the summer light. It was relaxing. I looked up at Bill, who was analyzing the fabric surrounding him. I wanted to snicker but I held it in with the palm of my hand. He looked like a kid wearing a sheet with a single hole in it. And with it being Bill made it all the funnier. Bill stuck out his tongue as he began to move his arms beneath the fabric before one crawled out of a slit on one side of the fabric, a short red sleeve emerged as it reached his shoulder. He then worked his other arm out of a similar opening on the other side. He pulled the bundle of fabric from behind his neck and swung it up, covering his head in a rounded hood. He stuck his hands in two large white pockets sewn into the front, poking around before pulling them out, putting his hands onto his hips, making the shiny fabric partly collect over them.

"What do you think?"  
"You're a nut."  
"Ha. Ha. I didn't mean the obvious. I meant this." And Bill spun around, making the cloth create an upside down twisted funnel, shining the blue light of the moon off it, showing off all the folds and flows of the fabric. Contrasting greatly to the yellow glow, bouncing off the inner hood, illuminating his face.  
"I think you just put a dress on my body." Bill scoffed and stopped spinning, facing me.  
"It's a cloak. Unless you haven't noticed, it's cold outside. And your shorts are no help whatsoever."  
"Oh, I'm sorry. I can't really feel the cold." I gestured to my floating form. "Plus, I wasn't expecting to be sent to a different dimension today. One that's in the middle of autumn especially. In fact, I didn't even get to dress myself this morning thanks to you."  
"Well if you had any regular pants, I would have chosen that, but all I could find were these. So it's your fault for not packing any warmer clothes." Is he blaming me? Really?  
"My fault? It's summer. Or at least it was. I didn't think I'd need warmer clothes. And why would you put on warmer clothes. You'd probably put my body into heat stroke."  
"I am a demon. One with the ability of fire. I'm more comfortable in warmer temperatures. Though I can tolerate colds that could shatter such organic matter as yourself within an instant, I don't prefer it." Bill turned around, crossing his arms.  
"Sure. And a cloak will protect you if the weather takes a turn?" I waited for a response, but I was met by silence. I kept an eye on Bill as he kept his back towards me. "Bill." He didn't move. "Bill?" I floated towards him, making a large circle around. When I came so I could see his face, I saw it was stiff like stone. His mouth in a hard line and eyes set straight forward. I turned my head, to see where he was staring at, and froze.

Outside the fragile window with the beams of the moonlight now barely visible, were little white specks, delicately falling down from the dark sky.  
"We'll see." I turned my gaze and saw Bill, watching me. He held no smile nor no frown, his face was completely unreadable. I hated it so much.  
"Seriously? How?!"  
"Well, I'll have to step out their and see how my cloak holds up and.."  
"No I mean why is it snowing? The leaves were barely falling." Bill turned to me like he was speaking to an ignorant child.  
"It could be for many reasons." He turned back and walked towards the window. "This dimension could have a different seasonal schedule. Maybe time goes by quickly here. Or there is a giant in the clouds with a dandruff problem." Bill walked over to the door, opening it and stuck his head out.  
"Bill!" He pulled his head back in, closing the door. His tongue still stuck out as white fluffs quickly dissipated. He pulled his tongue back in before making a smacking sound.  
"Dude! That's gross."  
"What? It's not giant's dandruff."  
"You didn't know that when you stuck my toungue out there. What if it was?"  
"But it wasn't." I groaned as I slammed my face into my hands.  
"I'm going to repeat myself. You're a nut."  
"Well everyone is. It just depends on how cracked you are that shows it or not." Bill looked back to the door, his face losing the playfulness it held. "It's building up quick. Really quick." I flew over to the, going to place his hands on the window sill, for the one with the puppet to sit on it and the other to fall through and into the wall. I pulled my hand out and placed it ontop of the doll and looked out. He was right. Drifts adorned the trees trunks like sparkling skirts, their branches, still holding leaves of red, yellow, and orange, were weighed down by the seemingly light snow. The wind had picked up, were literally only a moment before a was a gentle fall of snow, was now a harsh curtain of white, ripping off the warm colored leaves and burying them. It was such a dramatic change from only this afternoon.

A sound of ripping echoed from behind me. I looked around and saw Bill ripping a blanket off the wall, tearing out the pins that hung it up. It had maroon circles covering its main stretch, leaving white diamonds in their spaces, a dark red and white border along the edge. Bill swung it up and around his shoulders, clenching it closed in the front, effectively covering him in another layer of cloth down to his ankles. He shifted his shoulders under the cloth before going to the door. He pulled his hand out from beneath the blanket and grabbed the handle, ripping it open. A gust of wind and flurries blew into the black room, spotting it's darkness with white specks, clustering in the cracks between the floorboards. It hit Bills face with an immediate numbness that wracked a horrid shiver down his back. I felt it full blow hit me, but it was still warmer than the soul blistering cold I felt just before waking Bill. But it still claws fear down my back.  
"Bill! What are you doing!? You can't go out with it like that!"  
"We need to get moving if we don't want to be buried in."  
"But you'll freeze my body to death."  
"Or have it trapped to starve to death. Freezing to death is less sufferable than starving." Bill stepped out of the doorway, leaving it wide open. I followed him out.  
"How would you know?" Bill glanced back at me, the cloth of the hood flapping around his face.  
"Do you think you're the first body I've possessed?"

I shut my mouth, following him. He turned around and headed forward, the quilt flapping about with every gust of wind, leaving tracks in the snow as he walked down the vanishing path, the light of the moon shone off the top of his hood. I knew he's done bad things, but it never occurred that he would have done.. that. But he doesn't want me to suffer, or at least my body to. He would probably enjoy it, with how much he liked slamming my body into things the last time he possessed it. That and seeing me not being able to do anything but watch my body die. I could feel those claws grow as they tapped at the base of my skull, stirring the arachnid to go on edge.  
"Stop freaking out. I'm not going to kill you." He glanced back, his brow furrowed as his eye glowed in the dark of the night. "Unless I need to." He turned back forward. "This was the way towards the river?"  
"Yes." I said, nodding my head. He quickened his pace, head bent down and blanket clutched close. I stayed back, watching him as he walked onward. I looked down at the doll, snow sticking in the seams, all the while passing through me. Bill glanced back, giving a roll of his eyes.  
"Hurry up. I got four questions I get to ask you and I can't hear you from back there." I glanced up as another gust of screamed by, draping my vision in a curtain of white. Only simmers of black shone through the harsh gusts of winds, showing him standing there, waiting.  
"I'm coming."


	15. Don't Go

Nonsense. That's what he talked about. Nonsense. Bill kept going on and on about what the Ice Age was like and how incompetent mortal creatures are and how all of life should go back to when the earth was his personal molten playground. I've been waiting in suspense for the questions he wishes to ask to be asked, which he has not. I kept my tongue stuck on the roof of my mouth, keeping silent. 'Do you think you're the first body I've possessed?' A shiver ran down my back, countering the one's I was feeling from Bill's convulse. His teeth chattered as he continued to chatter himself. I don't think I've heard him talk so much. We've been walking for a good half hour and were almost to the river, my previous guess was off, but the snow was slowing us down drastically. I want to get to civilization and get rid of Bill as soon as possible. 'Unless I need to.' For my personal safety. And to stop his plans.

 

A harsh wind blew past, howling in my ears. And with it, was a soft whimper. It was barely audible other than the small tickle it made in my ear. I stopped moving and looked around in the blistering blizzard we stood in, the trees, blocking the most discordant breezes. I looked around but could not see past the obscuring wood and blinding snow. Another wind blew and it was there again, fainter this time.

"...but I'd p-probably leave s-some of th-the cooler st-tuff though. Y-you know, not-t have it b-be so empt.." Bill looked to his side to see me not by his side anymore. "K-kid?" He turned around, and saw me staring off into the distance. "Hey P-pine Tr-ree!" I heard him and looked back, seeing the cloth of the blanket wip around, showing the black cloak and ankles underneath, only covered by a pair of socks. His eyes shone through the curtains of snow from beneath his flapping hood, peering at me. "C-come on. We got-t to k-keep mov-ving. It's n-not getting a-any w-warmer." I looked back at where I had been staring, waiting for a sound, but heard none.

"Okay. We shouldn't be far no.." There it was. A cry. Loud and clear like it was being screamed right into my ear. I glanced at Bill, who was looking towards the source as well. He looked back at me with a glare.

"Come on-n. We n-need t-to go."

"But that cry.."

"Is n-none of y-your con-ncern. Now g-get ov-ver here and-d show m-me to the r-river." I looked at him and back to the source then back to him, then back to the source again. There's someone out there. And they're in trouble. In weather like this. Was it the girl from yesterday? A animal in pain, dying at this very moment? Or someone else lost in this blizzard?Thoughts kept running through my head, beating against my ever growing curiosity and worry mixing together with fear.

"I can't ignore it. I'm going to check it out." Bill's face scrunches up and frowns at me.

"N-no you're not-t. You a-are comi-ing wi-ith me. S-so get up-p he-ere. Now." I mimic his expression, staring right back.

"No. I'm checking it out.." I turn and stop. "It is my concern." I shot forward through the trees.

"Pin̈̚eͦͯ̅ T̾̓̔ͣ̏-tr̔ͦ̿̌̽ͥe͌ͫͩ̌̆̌ë͑̌̂̿̋͆̚!̽͑̋̔̓̅̓̂̓͋̚" He is mad. But he can make it to the river on his own, it was literally right ahead passed the bushes. But I have to see what that was. It's pulling at my curiosity hard. I shoot past frosted branches and bark, sending flakes to fall off as I pass. Piles of of snow drifts blurred by as I shot between reaching branches and blowing snow. I clenched my fist, holding tightly to the clothed doll in my grasp, the arms and legs flopping like wet noodles sporadically in the wind. I felt a cold sloshing against my ankles, Bill must be walking through the wet snow. Good, he's moving. The trees began having more and more icicles the closer I neared the faint cry grow in volume. Ice grew more and more on the trunks of the trees. Who ever it was was in the worse of the storm. Just up ahead was an opening of a furious white where the crying was emitting from. It's volume grew as the distance between me and it's source shrunk. I entered the clearing and froze.

A wind blew in the form of a funnel, spinning around and around at ridiculous speeds, throwing the snow against the surrounding trees, all captivated in a thick casting of ice. The snow was so thick and dense that I almost didn't spot the small ball of blue curled up on the ground. I moved forward and partly entered the funnel only for the doll on my hand to be ripped off. I immediately began chase as it went around and around. Soon it exited the spiral and landed in the calm center of the funnel, hitting the blue ball as it did, making the crying cease. I entered the windstorm easily, making the snow to swirl as it passed through me. The ball of blue shifted, making snow built around it to slide off. The first to emerge was a metallic shape connected to the shoulder, connecting to a pair of metal bars partially wrapped in gauze. On the other side, more blue showed itself, bending out of the heap of snow. The metallic one also moved, showing a round end and another pair of bars connected to a metal claw. It shoved itself onto the ground as an arm slid out of the snow, repeating the same movements on it's side. The two arms pushed against the ground, making more snow fall away from the figure as it moved. White that matched the snow slowly rose out of the pile of fluff, leaving a hollow dent where it had laid.

Suddenly it shot up, making the blowing blizzard immediately stop. A pair of large blue eyes stared out into the distance, a long sharp nose cutting into the air. His mouth gaped open, his breath giving out quick puffs. He turned his head, facing towards me. I froze in place, looking straight into those cold blue spheres. They jumped back and forth frantically, which never locked onto me. He stayed stiffly still as the wind blew his exposed bangs back and forth before swinging his head the other direction. He dug into the snow right where his head had been and pulled out a golden crown with adorning red jems. He stood up and placed it on his head. The wind slowly picked up again just as ferociously as before. He walked over to the doll and stared at it. The wind slowed down as he knelt down and picked it up by the foot, holding it upside down in his claw. He shook it about and began examining it. He soon found the hole in the bottom and curiously stuck his hand in. He began opening and closing his hand, moving the mouth. He looked the doll directly into the button eyes.

"Do you hear the snow? Do you hear it's whispers?" He made the doll's head nod up and down. He grew a smile, showing off the gap within his teeth. "So you hear what it speaks? What it tells?" He made it nod again. His smile grew larger. "Will you join me?" He made it nod again. The wind blew harder as he stood, making branches crack and break. "Great!" He aimed his arm at a tree, "Ice lightning." ice shot from his hand, going effectively breaking the tree. I stared at the tree then back at him. Ice powers?! He's causing this blizzard?! I flew in front of his face.  
    "Hey. Hey!" He shot out ice and froze the broken trees.  
    "It's easier to freeze things when they're in smaller pieces. But not people. You don't break people." He said to the doll, making it watch.

"Stop. Hey! Can you even hear me?" He Turned to another tree and froze it.

"The world will be frozen, protecting everyone in ice." I looked around then landed my eyes on the doll. I swooped forward and stuck my hand in, passing through the boy's bony ones. I turned the doll to face him. The boy felt his arm move against his whims and looked at it. The wind died down some but still held it's harsh tongue. Okay I got his attention. Now what do I say?

"Hello." His eyes grew wide as he screamed, flinging his arm back and forth, yanking my arm with him as well, until the doll flew off of his and my hand into the air. The doll landed in the snow with a plop. The boy fell back, the wind dropping with him as he backpedaled away from the doll, staring at it as he did. I flew over and slipped my hand in the doll again, lifting it up so I was comfortably sitting in the air in front of him. He kept going back until he was stopped by the wall of ice he had made. "You know it's not very nice to throw things around, right?" He continued to stare with large eyes locked on me.

"A-are you of magic?"

"T-technically." The boy's face turned up with a twist of confusion.

"Are you of science?"

"I don't think so." The boy slowly stood, leaning against the ice with shaky legs.

"Th-then what are you?" His eyes suddenly widened, changing to a natural blue and white, as he began to shake immensely more. "Are you of the green goo? Of the green mushroom?" What is this guy going on about?

"No. I'm.. I'm a ghost." He stopped shaking slightly but still held his eyes open wide, as if he'd never be able to open them again if he so much as blinked. He pushed himself flush against the wall of ice.

"Ah.. You.. No.. No.. Please.. Away spirit. Away." He looked to the ground with his eyes closed tightly. His shoulders shook as a whimper escaped his throat. "No.. No. Stay.. Please." He began to shake far more violently. "Don't leave me." He sniffled and gasped with his head hung low, his hands hanging onto his crown, keeping it from falling.

"This is awkward." I said under my breath as another whimper escaped him. What am I supposed to do? I watched as he slid down, drawing into himself. I gave a long sigh. I know I can't leave him like this. I drew closer. "Hey. Um.." I came up next to him and watched him as he continued to shake. I lifted up the arm of the doll and made it pat is back. "There. There."

He quickly turned around and grasped onto me, making me give a yelp. He pulled my arm into his chest, holding the doll tight to it. I felt a sudden bitter coldness wash over me as he tightened his death grip. From so close I could see the tears and rips of his light blue shirt and dark blue pants. One of the legs far more torn than the other. His shirt appeared far too big on him and where there were holes, I could see his ribs against his thinned skin, rippling with his whimpers. He looked starved. I looked up and saw his face, twisted and contorted between malice and sorrow. My head felt light as I grew numb. I reached around, passing my hand through the wall of ice. I pulled my arm towards him, only for it to pass through. He gave a sharp shiver so I pulled it out quickly. I closed my eyes and tried again, feeling my hand land on his side. I held him in my arm as he made a breathy gasp before slowing down his uneven breathing. I felt him relax in my grasp as he loosed his hold on my other arm but held it closer to his chest.

"I'm sorry." I opened my eyes and turned my head up to see his head tilted towards the sky with clouded eyes. That sorry wasn't directed towards me. Then I felt a roughness crawling over my skin, wrapping itself around me. I snapped my head around to see what was touching me but saw nothing. Then there was a harsh cold that swelled over me, like stepping out of a hot shower into the cold air just beyond. What the.. I looked back at the boy then gazed at the doll, and then it clicked. I tried to pull my arm out of the boy's grip but he only held tighter. I made a sudden jerk, getting it out of his arms, but also pulling him to the ground as well. He quickly stood, with eyes the pale blue they were before, as I readied to shoot off. "Wait. Don't go." His hand gripped onto one of the arms, covering it in ice.

"I have to. He's caught." I pulled against him but he only dug his heels into the ground, holding onto me.

"Please. Stay." The ice began to grow on the arm of the doll, reaching upto the torso. I looked around frantically as I tried to pull my arm out, only to find it stuck. What?

"What are you doing? I have to go."

"No." The entire torso was now a block of ice, now spanding over the other flopping limbs. The rough tough continued to grow across my back and over my arms. I have to go. I gave another pull only for the boy to pull back. "Don't leave." What can I do? What can I do? If I don't get to Bill then.. My eyes widen as I look down at the boy, the ice reaching the bottom edge of the puppet's mouth. I hope this works.

"Why don't you come with me?" The boy stopped and looked up at the doll's button eyes, his own large and wide and back to a normal color.

"Really? Like really really?"

"Yes. Yes. Really. But we have to go now. My.. traveling companion might be in trouble." He looked down with his brows furrowed and gazed back up.

"And you're not going to leave me?" The roughness suddenly tightened before loosening quickly.

"No. I'm not."

"You promise? And I mean super never ever break promise?"

"What?" A pull suddenly yanked at my head at the same time the boy before me scowled at the doll, freezing more and more of it. "Yes! Yes. I promise. I super never ever break promise!" His eyes grew soft as he pulled the doll to a tree and began to smash it against it, yanking me in the air as he did. "Hey! What are you.."

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry." he repeated with every bash, breaking the ice off, chunk by chunk. Soon the last chunk fell off, landing in the lying snow with a plop. He let me go and watched the doll close.

I shook off the remaining frost and headed into the woods.

"Hey!" He yelled as he ran into the frozen branches following me behind. "You said.."

"I'm not leaving you but I have to hurry." Another pull resonated through my scalp to which I flew faster. Bill what have you gotten into? Then I heard a crashing sound from behind me to which I slowed down and looked back. He was flying. Why am I not surprised? His bangs flapped in the air as he quickly followed me with branches now sticking out of his hat and clothes, his hand holding his crown down as he did. I turned back around and continued to fly.

"Why are you flying backwards?" I was about to ask what he meant before I realized he was talking about the puppet. I faced it towards him and spoke through it.

"I'm not. It's just.. on my hand."

"So you're ghost body isn't fully in it or something? Could you completely go into it?"

"I don't know. I've never tried." We rounded around trunks and branches.. Okay I did. Or more so, I went through them as I made the doll pass by. The boy.. well, he passed the trunks without flying through them. The branches.. not so much, but he was hitting them less and less the further we went.

"Why not?"

"I haven't really thought about it. I just turned into a ghost yesterday after all." Quickly the boy was flying next to my, the doll's, side, now looking at it with widening eyes.

"You.. you just died yesterday!?"

"What!? No. No, I just.. Let's talk about it later, okay?" He watched the doll before giving a nod. I waited for a response as I faced forward. "Okay?"

"I nodded yes."

"To the doll?"

"Yes.."

"I can't see through the doll. You know.. hand."

"Hand? Then where's your face? Are you a faceless ghost? Or are you headless? Or.."

"No, just facing forward. Watching where I'm going."

"Oh. Where are we going?" I peer forward, seeing an opening through the trees, the moon shining off of the iced water in sight.

"Right here." I pass through the opening.

I look around at the banks. I saw nothing. Did he leave without me? No. No, he couldn't have gone far. I wasn't away for long. I fly along the banks back and forth, peering into the trees here and there, but nothing.

"Hey. Um.. ghost?"

"What?" I said as I continued peering into the trees, waiting to see those pair of yellow eyes glowing in the dark.

"Did this.. friend have a blanket?" I snapped around seeing the boy holding a large quilt with large circles on it. He was dragging it out of a hole in the ice, soaked in bitter cold river water and caught on branches with rough looking bark. I drew closer and looked at it. It was the one Bill had been wearing. I looked down in the water seeing it rush past as a ferocious rate. My heart stopped as I crumbled in the air, a wind picking up and blowing around me. He did it. He killed me. I'm dead. I'm officially dead. My body is gone and so is Bill. Heat suddenly swelled in my chest as I closed my eyes tight. The doll slipped off my hand, landing onto the ice below me. My head throbbed and my eyes stung. He killed me. Now I'm dead. The wind around me blew harder and harder, growing into a whirlwind.

"He did it." My head swam in bitter heat and convulting sorrow. "I'm really dead." I grasped onto the back of my head, pulling it down as I brought my knees into my chest. I screamed. The sound never reached my own ears but the air rushing out of my lungs was felt in my chest cavity. Anger and despair surged in my webbed mind and cracking chest. After my release of intense emotions, I suddenly felt numb as I let my ghostly form go limp in the air, the whirlwind stopping and the nearby trees, cracking and peeling. Here lies Dipper Pines. Age twelve. Death by demon. I hung there for a moment, staring down at the frozen ice below me. Trust no one. And yet I trusted him alone with my body, now swept up under the river's ice in raging waters. Illusions of tears shredded down my face, dissipating in the air before reaching the ground.

Then in the edge of my vision, I see a pair of bare feet padding towards me then stopped, clenching and unclenching against the icy ground. I gazed up to see the boy looking at me. His wide eyes locked onto mine as his hands wrung at the doll they held. His eyes held their natural blue, the white part no longer a pale blue but.. white. Suddenly the glint of the moon off his crown hit my eye as he tilted his head. I looked at it to see my reflection. Pale and fog like. Looking like I'm one of those ghost captured on film. Reasons unknown to me, I smiled. I smiled at him and said, "I'm dead now." tears running down my face. The boy looked back and forth between my eyes before stepping forward, raising his arm and bringing it down in a patting motion, only to pass through my shoulder. He repeated the action, but gentler, not going through my shoulder.

"There. There." A shudder racked through me. I looked down, no longer able to keep eye contact. I felt so ashamed for someone seeing me like that.

"I'm sorry." The boy stayed silent as he held his hand in the air where my shoulder should be, in an attempt at comforting me. I brought my hand up and put it onto his, holding it there as if I didn't, it'd be gone. I looked back up only to see the boy looking off in the distance. I looked over at where his gaze lied.

And then I saw it. On the other side of the river right in the treeline, was a shimmering fabric, reflecting moonlight as it waved in the nightly breeze. I released the boy's hand, moving over to the hung fabric. As I looked over the wet fabric, I saw, drawn in the snow, in.. red, was a pine tree with an arrow above it pointing towards another drawing of an eye in a triangle, against the flow of the river. He's alive. I felt myself smile before as quickly as it came, fell. about a hundred feet down the bank was a wet blue vest. I flew towards it before seeing in another hundred feet, a wet red shirt. And as I got to that one, there laid a pair of sneakers thrown in the snow. I looked at the clothing, a feeling of confusion tickling the back of my throat. Why would he.. Then horror consumed my features. I looked back, seeing the boy following me into the brush, having left the blanket in the water, doll still in hand. He stepped forward, feet covered in bloody snow from stepping through the red markings. He looked up at me chewing his lip, showing off the missing tooth as his bottom lip filled the space.

"Why are you dead now?"

"I'm not, but I'm going to be if that idiot doesn't find shelter and dry clothes; if he hasn't already." I turned and began following the direction the clothing were leading, the boy close behind.

"Idiot.. You're friend?"

"Friend is stretching it, but yes."

"Does he have a name?" I slowed down and looked back at the boy, who had stopped, his eyes squinted, looking around, as though they were trying to see something just out of sight but knew was there. I stopped and came up to him, no longer seeing my blurry reflection in his crown. I reached down and pulled the doll from his grasp. I put it back on my hand.

"It's Bill." Then a thought struck me as I made the puppet speak to him. I readied to ask before spotting another article of clothing. It can wait. "Come on. There's not a lot of time to lose." I began flying forward, him trailing behind me.

"Okay." He stayed quiet before asking, "So, what's your name?"

"Dipper." I looked up at the sky as the blue light of the moon shone through the trees. "And yours?"

"Finn."


	16. And Hurt

He's naked. We've been following his trail of clothing and had come up to the final one. His underwear. It was sitting in the snow for all to see. Finn tried to pick it up but I slapped it out of his claw. It was bad enough that he had to see it but he didn't need to go and touch it. It was weird. But it means that we need to find Bill, and fast. With the cold of the water and current temperature, plus the evidence of his clothes lying about means he's going into hypothermia and fast. From what I can feel, my physical body feels overly warm, and if he's still out in the cold and not in a sauna like it feels, that's bad. Perhaps he is becoming dizzy. I started flying around the nearby trees, looking for another sign or something but I couldn't see anything. Finn was sitting on a tree trunk, freezing nearby squirrels and whispering to them, accompanied by an occasional giggle. He was.. off, but he's a good spotter and it's nice to have company when you're freaking out. Which I am. I could not see a sign nor trace of him other than back from where we came. There weren't even footprints in the snow, having been blown away from my.. fit.

    If he's in the right state of mind, which it's hard to say, he'd most likely be looking for shelter or civilization as we had been earlier. Probably heading to Gravity Falls without me. A head rises in my head before I calm it. He'd have to get direction first  or at least his bearings straight. I glance at Finn before flying up over the trees looking around. Far ahead, up the river, I can see a barge and a mansion like home beyond that. He's probably heading there. I float back down only to see Finn setting up the frozen squirrels stacked ontop of eachother in a circular fashion.

    "Finn." He looked up as he set down the last squirrel. "There's a mansion up ahead. I think Bill's heading there. We can get there faster if we fly." Finn gave a silent nod before standing then, with the flapping of his bangs, hovered up and over the treetops.

    "Where's the mansion?" I sighed as I flew up, Finn looking around before spotting my puppet which was pointing towards the large home. "Oh. Well, let's go protect your friend." And off he shot, flying past me towards the building.

    "H-hey! Wait up." I began following him, barely keeping up. I don't understand him. He doesn't even know Bill or me but he's so willing to help. Then again, I don't know that much about him. A thought poked into the edge of my mind. Maybe he's playing me, using me like a pawn. I watched him as we grew nearer and nearer to the mansion, passing over a frozen mud pond. What's his real motive?

After quite a while, we finally reached the mansion, landing before its grand gate. And grand it was. It surrounded a large property with an immensely long building expanding to either side. rising high into the air. The gates and walls looked to be elegantly festooned in it's engravings and decorative marksmanship. Formal and high class in its towering structure. It was far more impressive than the Northwest mansion with a less smug atmosphere. It felt like an old style of civil, something that Bill would be drooling over to turn completely chaotic. During the travel, there was a sudden rocking motion I could feel in the pit of my stomach. What was Bill doing? As we reached the gate, Finn hovered up, attempting to go over the fence.

"Finn?" What is he doing? What if someone sees?

"What?" Then his pant leg got caught, making him stop in a sudden jerk. He yanked at his leg with great frustration, trying to get unhooked, making the gate rattle and creek.

The sound of hooves clapping on the ground, growing steadily louder. Someone was coming. I looked back up at Finn as he kept fighting against the gate. This isn't good.  
    "Finn." I hissed. "Get down." He looked down at me as he continued to yank.

"I thought you wanted to search inside?"

"Yes, but you need to get down. We can't have anyone see us break in."

"Break in?" Finn said with a quizzical voice before his eyes grew wide. "Like violating their personal space bizz?"

"No not their personal stuff. Just a look around, you know." Finn began yanking more furiously at the gate, his eyes growing enormous in fear.

"I-I don't want to be a violator?! I don't. I don't. I don't." Finn continued to yank, making the gate quiver at his ministrations.

"Who's there?" The sounds of hoof prints grew louder, yet barely audible under the creaking of the gate. 

"Come on." I grew antious as I quickly flew up, trying to help unhook the leg of Finn's pants. Finn placed his other foot against the gate, using it to push himself away. They then ripped free in a sudden tear. As it did Finn began losing balance, swinging his arms to keep himself upright. I attempted to grasp him only for him to swing out of grasp each time. He swerved forward and back, twisting around as he did, before ultimately falling backwards with a yelp, on the other side of the gate. He landed on his back, hard, making me cringe as he immediately rolled over and curled in on himself, holding his head as his crown rolled on the ground just above it. A shadow suddenly grew over Finn's whimpering frame, blocking out the little light the moon provided. I looked up to see nothing but a grey horse with a brown mane and reins. And on his back an empty saddle, leaves and flower petals stuck in it's seams. I flew over to Finn and prodded at his shoulder.

"It's okay. It's only a horse."

"A talking doll?!" I jumped at the sudden voice and twisted my head looking around and seeing no one.

"Who said that?"

"Woah." I turn my head again to see the horse looking at me closer. "This is some crazy stuff." I-it spoke. "Wait. Is this some ventriloquist trick." He looked over at Finn. "Hey, how are you doing that without holding it? You got strings on it or something?"

Finn looked up from his fetal position then screeched, making the horse jump back, as he pushed himself away until he hit the gate.

"Away. Away." He lifted his arm and aimed at him. Nothing. He began shaking his arm, grabbing it with the other as he did.

"Well sorry I asked." The horse said. Finn kept shaking his arm here and there before his eyes grew wide as he began patting the top of his hooded hat, his breaths coming in quick tremors as he looked around.

"Where? Where!?" His eyes laid on the jeweled headpiece lying in the snow crusted ground. He jumped for it, causing the horse to startle back. He clutched it in his grasp as he suddenly shoved it onto his head and, just as quickly, backed up, eyeing the horse with a scowl. He raised his hands, taking aim again.

"No." I flew over to him, grabbing the blistering cold limbs and shoving them into the snow as he sent out a blast of ice, freezing his hands to the ground in the snow. He looked down at his hands and began pulling against their frozen restraints. "Dude. Calm down. It's just a horse."

"Hey." The horse said, his tone sounding offended.

"What? You are."

"Well how would you like it if I said you're JUST a doll?" I open my mouth before closing it shut.

"Point taken."

"Now, mind telling me why you climbed the gate. You relized it's unlocked." Was it?

"N-no it wasn't." As I said this, Finn pulled his frozen hands off the ground, still encased in ice, and fell backwards, his hands slamming into the gate, effectively making it jerk open. I look over, glancing at the creaking gate. "So it was." I look back at the horse who is watching me expectantly.

"So what are you doing here anyway? You aren't planning on thieving are you?"

"No. We're looking for a friend." The horse seemed to visibly relax at the words.

"Oh thank goodness. I've never had to sit watch before. And nightly thieves do not help my uneasiness one bit." He looked between me and Finn, who was smashing his frozen hands on the gate, slowly breaking the ice. "So what's your names?" I looked at Finn, who was preoccupied, before turning back to the horse.

"That's Finn and I'm Dipper."

"I'm Fred." He then stood tall and firm, like a show horse. "Perhaps I can help. There's been few people passing by tonight. Your friend may have been one of them." 

"Okay. Well, he's about yay tall," I said, lifting the doll to the approximate height. "has brown hair, a reddish nose, and yellow eyes. He's a little bit.. smug." Fred looked to be in a state of concentration before giving a shake of his head.

"I don't recall anyone specifically like that.. at least not with yellow eyes." He then furrowed his brow. "Anything else you could tell me?" I look down to the ground, a blush rising to my ghostly cheeks at the thought returned of Bill exposing my uncovered body to the world.

"He.. um.. well.. you see.. he's a little.. underdressed."  Finn, now free of his restraints went and hid behind a nearby tree, eyeing the horse.

Fred looked at me for a moment, before his eyes grew wide.

"Did he have a mark on his head? One that kinda looked like a pot.. or that consolation by the North Star?" Darn it, Bill. Show everyone why don't you. It's not like I've been trying to hide it for most of my life or anything.

"Yeah.. That's him. Is he here?" He shook his head.

"I'm afraid he's not. Wirt had come by and..."

"Wirt?"

"Endicott's, ahem.." He gave a roll of his eyes. "..nephew. He came by carrying the unconscious guy all limp in his arms and wrapped up in his cape, and asked for aid."

Limp?! Oh no. I closed my eyes and focused, soon feeling a gentle rocking and slow warmth surround me, muscles twitching every so often. Good. He's still alive. "Endicott gave him some clothes and offered to let them stay; he would've liked some company with Grey being out on a short trip. Wirt looked really uncomfortable and refused. It was really weird. I kept trying to talk to him, you know, see what he's been up too. I hadn't seen him since.. well, the day we met, but he just got more and more jumpy. It was even more weird that Greg wasn't around. That was one of the first things Endicott asked about. I mean, after all, he got along with him very well and.."

He's going off topic. I groaned under my breath as I rubbed my arm.

"I'm sorry to interrupt but what happened to our friend?" Fred's looked at my puppet before giving a shake of his head.

"Oh right. Endicott gave them a ride on a carriage. I don't recall where their destination was but I do know they were heading towards the tavern."

"Where's that?" He pointed his head towards the southern path.

"It's down the road. You should be able to see it pretty easily when you come to it." I looked over at Finn, who was sitting on top of the tree, like that of a ticked off cat, staring down at the horse.

I turn back to Fred, "Thank you." I hurried over to Finn, caressing him out of the tree. "Come on. Let's get moving." Fred walked over and looked up at us as we slowly descended.  
    "You're welcome. Glad to help." He turned away and began heading back to the mansion. He stopped in a sudden jerk and quickly turned back around as I finally got Finn back on the ground. "Oh yeah. You might want to watch out for the highwayman on your way. He's not one to meet in the dead of night."

"Okay. We will." I said as I pushed the glaring Finn towards the road.

"And beware the Beast."

I stopped and looked back at him. Beast?  
    "What's the Beast?" Fred held his head low and ears flat on his head.

"It's just that. The Beast. I've never seen him myself but I've never heard of anyone doing so without.." He droned off, scuffing at the ground the the tip of his hoof. "At least except for Wirt and Greg. They told me a time ago that they barely escaped his clutches over at the mill, but I havn't heard of any other such lucky interactions afterwards."

"Wait. Is this the same 'Wirt' that found our friend?"

"Yes actually. Why?"

"No reason. Are there any signs that we should look for? Of the Beast I mean. To avoid him."

"Um.. Oh. Stay away from areas with lots of trees with faces." Trees? "I've heard he sings so listen for that." Singing?! "And, I've also heard he has glowy eyes." Glowy eyes!?! The image of the colored eyed boy came to mind as well as the white orbs from in the trees.

"Glowy eyes? Like multi-colored or white glow."

"I think so." Fred's eyes grew wide as he backed up. "You saw them."

"Yeah. Twice yesterday. Why?"

"Then he sees you."

"Wha-" I began only for him to quickly backup with a short neigh.

"I-I have to go. I think the tea plants need watering. I'd better go check on them." He turned around and galoped to the mansion. "Good luck." I stared at him as he ran off.

"Well that doesn't help my uneasiness one bit."

I turn back to Finn, who was halfway down the road.

"Hey wait." I quickly caught up to him. As I did, I saw him glaring down at the ground, his eyes looking fogged and unfocused.

"Why were you freaking out earlier? Do horses scare you?"

"No." His voice seemed to waiver, but held a hard bite in it. "He just reminded me of Bar Bar." He began to walk faster, keeping his head down as he did.

"Bar Bar?" He stayed silent, each step growing further and further apart from one another. I watched as he quickened down the road, feet scuffling against the partially frozen ground. What's up with this guy? I focused on my body again feeling it's swallowing warmth only broken an occasional shiver. The subtle rocking still evident. I looked back up and followed Finn down the road. This is going to be a long night.


	17. Us Or

I was right. It was a long night. The sky was now growing lighter as the sun barely showed it's stretching warmth over the horizon to our left. The moon still held in the air in it's cooling luster against our right. Finn and I.. Finn walked and I hovered towards the tavern, following the carriage tracks within the snow. I tried to get Finn to fly again, but he kept getting all.. twitchy so I stopped. The sun was now barely peeking over the horizon, glistening against the slightly melting snow. Piles of leaves revealed warm colors beneath the cold sheet of white. The air still held a cold crisp but now gave a more gentle caress. And the further we traveled the less snow there was. It made Finn.. edgy. His eyes kept jumping back and forth between trees and rustling leaves. His were soft yet quick, as if he were trying to run from something. I looked at where he gazed, seeing no more than the nature of these woods that flowed on either side of the path. It seemed to have an opposite affect on me. I felt oddly calm. I didn't want to rush or hurry. I knew I needed to be quick yet I didn't feel a need to be. I knew I had to get moving, had to get going but.. I didn't want to. Though the trees be bare and the ground so chill, the sun's warm light heated the air that passed through me. And when I closed my eyes and focused on my body, from where ever it may be huddled, the warmth it held caressed my being as well. I cracked my eyes open to see Finn far ahead of me, running. I shook my head of the pleasant spell and quickly flew after him.

"Hey!" I gained speed, growing closer until I was traveling by his side. I looked over and gave a small gasp. His eyes were wide and wet, tearing down his face, all a tinted blue. His nostrils fluctuated with each heavy breath. And his mouth spanded over the lower edge of his face, stretching it until nearly all of his teeth were visible. And beneath his short gasps he gave soft whispers, far too low for me to hear.  
"Finn? Finn! What's wrong?" He gave a glance before focusing ahead, giving a soft giggle his eyes growing far too unsettling.  
"Too much." He growled. I flinched, slightly slowing down as I did before catching back up.  
"What?"  
"Too much is wrong. It's all around. Sing it's song. It'll pull us down!" He began to grow into a hysterical laughter before suddenly tripping on an exposed branch.  
"Finn!" He fell forward, hitting his head on a knocked down tree trunk. I slowed down and floated over to him. "Finn?" Nothing. I moved over and slightly shook his shoulder. "Finn?" A groan fell out of him as he turned over, rubbing at his head. He cracked open his eye, which now looked normal again. He looked over at the doll and gave a small cough.  
"Hi." And with that he sat up, dusting off his pants as he did. I stared at him before feeling the calm pull slither away, replacing with angered annoyance.  
"What was that!?" He glanced up at me, his eyes seeming sombered before lowering.  
"I don't know.."  
"Don't know what? You freaking out? Talking gibberish? I don't know about you but I am far from my element and this," I gestured to his shaking form and the surrounding trees. "is not part of it. And you running off or going nuts is not helping. So please just.. make this easier on me." I watched him as he began rubbing his arms, his shoulders giving a twitch here and there.

Then, under his breath, his subtle breathing began to turn to a soft giggle. Suddenly, his head shot up, him laughing into the air, his eyes turned toward the doll then went straight to me, locking with my eyes. I froze in his icy stare as he began to straighten up.  
"And you think this is mine!" He slowly began making his way to me, I backing up with each step he took. "You have no idea what being out of 'your element' even entails. And don't play me off as me 'losing it' as my choice. If it was, I wouldn't do it. Why in the world would I even want to?" He continued to grow closer and closer, his eyes radiating in blue. "Do you even know how much self control I had to pull out of myself just to keep from freezing that gosh darn horse from that tree. And I was still using it down the path. So inevitably it wears thin and boom.." He shot his arm out, grabbing my shoulder, hard and tight. "I lose it." I tried to phase through his grip, but could not. My eyes widened as I stared at Finn, who was scowling, looking far too much like Bill.  
"H-how?" He began covering my ghostly arms in ice, making them immobile. I looked away, avoiding his eyes, and began struggling against the frozen restrictions continuing to grow. His voice then came out soft and cracked, stopping my movements.  
"I'm trying to make it easier." I looked over at him, seeing his eyes growing moist and red. "I'm trying. I'm trying so much but.." He sniffed, his arms shaking, his grip tightening and relaxing continuously. His eyes grew back to their normal color as he began to shake even more, the ice stopping its growth. "Just.. I can't.. Please.. I'm sorry.. Don't leave.." He pulled my frozen ghostly form in and hugged it tight, shoving his face into my shoulder. "I don't like doing this." Stunned was to say the least at how I was feeling at that moment. I didn't know what to do. What was I supposed to do? This guy was more nuts than McGucket. More emotionally set off than a dropping pin. Heck, maybe more mind confusing than Bill. Maybe. I look down seeing his head phase through my shoulder a touch. I wiggled around but could not get loose from either his tight grip nor frozen restraints.

I groan as I let my nonexistent weight drop, letting my head partly phase through his still shuttering shoulder. This guy is emotionally draining. I look up, seeing Finn starting to calm down. I glance down and spot my puppet, still unfrozen. I wiggle it around and use it to start chipping at the ice. He suddenly tightened his grip, shoving his head further into my shoulder. Like, literally into my shoulder. I had to say something. At least get him out of this.. funk. I looked over at the road then back at him. We're going nowhere fast.  
"I.. I'm not leaving." He gave a sniff and shoved his face further down.  
"No?"  
"Of course not. We're.. we're pals. R-right?" Finn turned up his head looking up, squinting his puffy eyes as if they were trying to focus through muddy water.  
"Right."  
"And pals don't.. don't leave each other behind. Right?"  
"Right."  
"So.. y-you don't need to worry. And.. and.. and you're doing a great job at.. at controlling yourself." His eyes grew wide and his lip twitched upward in the slightest.  
"Really?"  
"Of course. Of course. A little rough around the edges but you're doing.. doing pretty good." I squirmed a little more, cracking tiny bits of the ice away. "But um.. um.. I.. I can help you get better." His lip twitched upward slightly with his eyes gleaming.  
"Really?!"  
"Y-yeah!" He grinned at me before something grew over his eyes, making his smile drop.  
"How?"  
"How?! How? Um.. Well, by.. by one step at a time. Yeah. We can start by unfreezing me." I forced a smile continuing to wiggle and pry. Finn's eyes continued to fluctuate, trying to find focus before giving up and staring at the puppet, to which I turned up and, with the bend of my fingers, made smile. He gave a sniff, grabbing the edge of the barley crumbling ice.  
"One step at a time? Will that work?"  
"One way to find out." He stared at me for a moment, silently watching me before turning to the ice and slowly pulling off the ice bit by bit. I felt a sigh escape my throat as each piece fell with a satisfying crack.. This kid is.. something else and is definitely not good for my health. I can't keep sticking around him, but.. I looked at his puffy eyes, still moist and raw, shaking back and forth as their constant refocus upon crumbling splinters of ice. ..something tells me running off isn't the best option, at the moment.  
As he pulled, he looked at each close to his eye before dropping them to the ground.

"This is weird."  
"What is?" He pulled off a large chunk and began bringing it in front of the puppet before stopping with a shake of his head and bringing it up in front of where my face was. I looked at it seeing nothing but ice. "I don't.." He shoved it to where, I'd imagine, he thought was bringing it closer but actually put it through my eyes. From I looked through it, seeing the world look warped and misshapened. Finn the most so. I opened my mouth, ready to ask a question before something caught my eye. The trees looked to be.. oozing black sludge, overflowing from pained mouths and eyes. I felt a shudder as I stared into those hollow cavities. Then a sound molested my ears. Whimpers and cries emitted from the very bark, projecting themselves into the bitter air. Then, as though by the trick of my eye, the deformed tree seemed to look at me through the twisted ice, sending it's cries at me. My head felt full of cotton, swelling and pulsing in horror. I closed my eyes and shook my head no longer wishing to see the very sight before me. Suddenly a loud crash shattered in the air, silencing the cries. I stopped shaking my head and peaked my eye open, the trees were as they had been before, with no holes secreting black sludge, just normal trees. I looked at Finn, who was covering his face and still holding the very ice shard that had harassed my vision. As I looked to his face, I saw his eyes directed beneath me. I turned my gaze down, seeing the ice that had entrapped me, shattered on the ground, as though it had been broken by a bomb. Ice shrapnel protruded in the nearby trees and soil, sunken deep into them. I looked back to Finn, seeing him now stared at his arms that I had just noticed, were cut and bleeding between torn bits of his sleeve.. He brought the wounds to his mouth. I opened my own, readying to advise him not to do that, before shutting it once more, thinking it better to leave him to his own business. He began cleaning up the blood until it stopped bleeding then wiped the remaining saliva onto his shirt. He looked back up to me with child like eyes.

"What's the next step?" 'Get away from you as quickly and inconspicuously as possible,' I couldn't help but think. I glanced to the shattered ice on the ground then back at him. He's too dangerous to leave on his own, who knows what he would do if I abandoned him. I gave a sigh.  
"Um.. it's to.. to.." I held my hand to my chin, rubbing it before giving a snap of my fingers to an idea. "to follow a role model."  
"Role model." Finn said with the furrow of his brows. "Where do I find one of those?" Ouch.  
"Well, maybe I can be one." He squinted his eyes and gave a tilt of his head.  
"You?"  
"Yeah. You've been following me so far." He straightened his head, slowly shaking it.  
"I don't think that's what 'following a role model' means."  
"Hey, who's the role model here?" Finn tilted his head the other way, sending his bangs to dash in front of his face, crossing his arms over his chest.  
"I'm not that gullible." As he spoke, parts of his bangs managed their way into the edge of his mouth. He quickly began spitting, using his claw to pull stray hairs off of his tongue. 

"Okay. Well, what do you think should be next?" I asked, continuing on forward.  
"I don't know." Finn said, following behind as he pulled out the last hair. "Just something so I'm not quite so.. unstable." He put his hands in his pockets, kicking at a small mound of snow on the ground.  
"Maybe I could. I'm stable." He gave a laugh, causing my brow to raise.  
"Stable? You?" He quickened his pace until he was walking right next to me. He stared me in the eye, his quickly turning to a deep blue again, an unsettling smile plastered on his face. "You're less stable than I." I could feel myself shrink away from his seeming glowing gaze, illuminated by the fading light of the moon. And just like that, his eyes were back to their heterochromatic tones, his smile falling to a concerned frown. "If not for your friend leaving a trail nor I spotting them, you would have.." He looked back towards the path, keeping his head low. "..fallen."  
"What.." I began before remembering the blistering winds swirling around me as I had, with watering eyes, peered down at the soggy quilt. A harsh cold blew up my back at the remembrance before trying to shake it off. I stared at him for a moment as he walked ahead of me. "You don't know what you're talking about. You're just talking nonsense." Finn's head grew lower with each step, staring intently at his traveling feet.  
"Just because I don't always make sense, doesn't mean it's nonsense." He suddenly began walking at a quicker pace, passing me as he did. I stared at him as I gripped at my arm, rubbing small circles in it with my thumb. The cold in my back still lingered in undertone of pinching pain. I gave another shiver as I followed behind. All was quiet through our travel after that for Finn nor I spoke a word. Nothing but the occasional wind that would rustle the exposed leaves that lay on the ground. At least until the sound of jolting creaking caught our attention.


	18. We Will

Finn slowed down, as he stared ahead. I floated up beside him, staring down the path. And further ahead, just turning around a bend in the path and revealing itself from behind the withering foliage, was a carriage. It stood tall, yet still easily passing beneath the low hanging branches with ease. It's wheels were that of wood and moved in a straight line, only to give a horrid creek when delving into a hole or bump in the path. A man sat in front, hunched over, clutching the reins that befell upon a white horse that pulled the carriage over the worn ground. I looked over to Finn, who had seem to be frozen in place, staring at the white horse as it drew closer. I called to him, to break him from his state, only to fall upon deaf ears. I looked back to see that the man had spotted us and began to slow down as he drew near.

"Hello there." He chimed as the carriage came before us. As he came closer to sight, I could see he had hair of grey, split in the middle that fanned away from his face like that of the wings of a bird. Placed atop his head was that of a top hat of a dark maroon. He had on a grey vest that hid beneath a lighter maroon overcoat, adorned with golden buttons, a split tail in the back, and bestowed a medal or broach of some sort upon his chest. Below his coat, he had on black pants, which ended where high socks met them below the knee leading to a pair of black loafers. On his neck he held a tie of white that rested just below his chin as the rest of his neck was surrounded by that of a collar sitting erect to meet with his feathering hair. I couldn't help but wonder as to why he wore such attire. Was he heading for some sort of costume party? And if so, the horse and carriage is a bit much.

He looked down at Finn, not seeing me behind him, with a quizzical expression before spotting the crown upon his head. "Royalty out on a night like this? And so far from any blue blood upon my recollection. And my! Such clothes torn and tattered. Dear sir, what has brought you here appearing in such conditions?" I looked at Finn, who stood stiff and still, eyes focused on the horse, then back to the man, who was growing a look of worry. Something tells me that I better not pop up, with only my puppet only being visible. I looked back to Finn and moved closer behind him.  
I brought the puppet behind his ear and whispered, "Repeat after me."   
Finn whipped his head around with a "Huh?!"  
"Just do it." He looked at me quizzically as I pointed to the man with the puppet, before glancing at him then back at the puppet, his eyes then widening with a "Oh.". He turned back, avoiding looking at the horse.  
"I'm sorry. I have been traveling for some time."  
"I'm sorry. I have been traveling for some time."  
"You see, I am looking for a friend."  
"You see, I am looking for a friend."  
"We had become separated and I had gone to search for them."  
"We had become separated and I had gone to search for them."  
"I had heard that they were traveling down this path with another person."  
"I had heard that they were traveling down this path with another person."  
"Have you perhaps seen them?"  
"Have you perhaps seen them?"  
The man gave a raised brow before they both rose high. "Was he bare as a baby's bottom and a mark of a ladle upon his head?"

I gave a groan as I pinched the bridge of my nose. "Yes." Finn repeated my groaned response to which I twinged at, but the man didn't seem to notice.  
"Then yes I had. My nephew, who may be the other person you speak of, brought him to my home. He was far in sleep from what I could tell, probably wouldn't wake up to scolding iron in his side. I gave Wirt some spare clothes for the boy, to which he put on him with averted eyes and red beaded cheeks, or so Fred had told me. But if not for my nephew, with this strange weather and not a thing to cloth him, he wouldn't have lasted the night."  
"Do you know where they had gone?"  
"Do you know where they had gone?"  
The man pointed down the path, "I, upon request of my dear nephew, had taken them to the tavern, to which is not far from here, just down this path. If you hurry, you may make it before the twilight is over. I'd offer you a ride but the path is far too narrow to turn this carriage around and by the time I get somewhere wide enough, you would've already been halfway there."   
"Well thank you for the offer and the directions, but I must take my leave."  
"Well thank you for the offer and the directions, but I must take my leave."

I slightly pushed Finn's shoulder away from the horse to around the carriage. The man tapped his finger upon his chin with a hum before lighting up. "Hold on your majesty." He said, pausing my push. He quickly hurried off the carriage seat and moved his way to the carriage and began searching through it. "Now where did it.. Aha!" He moved back, holding a folded cloth in his hands. He brought it over to Finn and held it out to him with a smile. "This may help in the cold." Finn stayed still for a moment, before cautiously reaching out to grab it. The man made a glance at the claw, seeming had to have just given notice, but gave it little mind. I looked down at it as Finn took grasp. It was a simple but thick blanket of a dark blue color. "I always keep something for warmth in case of such bad turns of weather during travels. It may not be much, but it should do you fine." Finn rubbed his thumb over the soft looking cloth as he stared intently at it. He looked up at the man with a small smile as he held it close.  
"Th-thank you." Finn stuttered as he looked up at the man. The man beamed as he gave a tilt of his hat.  
"You are very welcome." And with that, he gave a turn of his heel and climbed back to his seat, reacquiring his reins. "Well, so long. It was a pleasure to meet you.."

The man looked back at Finn with a laugh. "I'm sorry, I don't believe I caught your name." Finn gripped the blanket harder as his eyes appeared strained.  
"Finn.. Merten."  
The man gave a nod as he said, "Quincy Endicott. It was a pleasure to meet you Sir Merten." And with that, he gave a small snap of his wrist, sending the horse to move forward. As he moved forward, he looked back and called out, "Oh, and for your information, you might want the toymaker to give a look at that doll stuck to your back. Someone may think you as odd." He gave a chuckle as he continued down the path. We watched him until he made his way around a bend and out of sight. I looked over at Finn, who was unfolding the blanket. He peered at it for a bit before draping it around his shoulders, and effectively over me. I quickly threw it off myself while unintentionally sending it over Finn's head. I looked over at him as he peeked out from beneath the cloth.  
I gave him a small smile with a "Sorry." as he pushed it back. He held it close, glancing down at himself. He swayed his shoulders a bit, making the fabric follow his movements. His brow furrowed as he looked at his claw grasping onto the fabric. He raised his other hand and began to tie it the two corners in his grasp. He pulled them tight then slowly released. Once he saw that it wouldn't fall, he let his arms fall to his sides. He looked up, his back straightened and turned around. He then traversed onward, passing by me. I watched him carry on for a moment before his foot caught in the makeshift cape and fell 'gracefully' to the ground. Insert 'awkwardly' for 'gracefully'.  
"I'm okay." He called as he pushed himself up, placing the crown, that had fallen in his descent, back on his head. I looked at him before gazing back at the path.  
"Not far from here." I said out loud, mostly to myself. I closed my eyes as I focused, feeling thumps pulsating through my legs, a harshness in my throat. What is he doing? I looked back to Finn, seeing him already heading down the path. I sigh as I grow nearer to the boy, not quite yet passing him but coming close.

I peered over his shoulder before looking up to the tree tops, I tapped Finn's shoulder and called his name. He looked back at the puppet with a questioning hum. I pointed to the bare trees, effectively silhouetting the brightening sky.  
"Why don't we take one fourth of the time and just fly there?" Finn looked up, growing a glint in his eye and gave a shrug of his shoulders.  
"I thought you needed a walk." He crouched before propelling himself up with the flapping of his bangs. I stared at him as he looked down and gave a cheeky smile, putting his hand on his knees, like that of a master calling newly trained dog. "Come here boy. Come here. Let's go fetch the friend." My jaw went slack at the buffoonery before my eyes. Was he mocking me? And the demeanor change again? I am now contemplating mental disorders that he may posses.  
"I am no dog." I proceeded to ascended up to the trees, to which he came closer, petting the puppet's head.  
"But you're being such a good boy." I rolled my eyes made the puppet growl, causing Finn to laugh, a tear falling out of the edge of his eye. He suddenly turned around and shot forward. "Come on. Let's go." I gasped as he sped off, making me have to travel immensely fast in order to keep up.  
"Wait!"


	19. Hurt You

    We soon reached the tavern that was spoken of. It was a simple building, one of made of stones and wood with a open sloping attachment. We drew near, being able to see a hanging sign, picturing an upside down horse, with it's legs straight in the air, a large star below and a smaller one above. A letter 'D' and 'L'  also laid were upon the, just ever so slightly swaying, with an abhorrent creek, wood. Dread began to fill me as the distance between us and the building shrunk. As I looked at the door I spied a light emerging from beneath, shadows across it, giving knowledge of someone lying beyond. A feeling of eyes upon us grew as Finn, with quite a lack of speed, slowly raised his hand to give knock. I looked towards the window to see a shadow, seeming to go into a point, peering through it staring at Finn, before locking eyes on the puppet sitting behind him and darting away. I swallowed as I looked back to Finn, who's hand shook in place, just a mere knuckle's length away from the door. I glance at his eyes that seemed transfixed at the grains of the door, as if they could slither off and grasp him in an instant. I shake my head, trying to recall that this isn't scary. This is nothing compared to what I have had to deal with. I mean, this can't be as bad as the shape shifter, Gideon Bot, and others. Images of Mabel, Wendy, Stan, and Soos flashed behind my mind. I, again, shook them from my head. If there's anything like that, I can handle it.. on my own. But Finn, who's hand is now so close that it's almost touching, I don't know.

There was still a overhanging dread that filled me that I could not shake. Finn took a breath before giving a knock, erupting a sound of scuffling and murmurs from behind. Footsteps grew louder. I looked down, seeing the puppet on my hand. I quickly looked around before hidinging it beneath Finn's cape. A floating doll is an odd sight for anyone and may cause a negative reaction to whom may be within. Finn looked back at me just as the sound of someone shooing, in an oddly high pitched voice, a lazy dog. The door opened, spilling candled light into the brightening morning dawn. We both looked forward to see a silhouette of a woman peering around, her face shadowed by the light from within. She then spotted Finn and leaned out out of the shadow. She had round features that included her round face, big round eyes, tiny round nose, round rosy cheeks, round bonnet, and round figure.

She held a small smile as she spoke. "Well hey there peach pot." Her smile suddenly fell to a frown as she eyed Finn up and down. "Whatcha doing around at this hour?" She turned her head side to side, eyes wandering at the edge of the trees. "Come in. Come in before the cold gets ya." she hushed, shoving Finn in, flattening my hand against his back as we were pushed in, I passing through the wall. Finn looked around in a bewildered state, his arms shaking as he was brought far into the room. Finn and I looked back to see a large shaggy dog pushing the door shut with the end of his nose, closing it. He sniffed at the ground before plopping right in front of the exit. The woman continued to push until we were directly in front of a vacant table by a window. She released her hand and turned towards Finn. She squinted her eye as she looked at his figure. "You look famished." She pushed him towards the lone chair. "Take a seat, I'll go get you something to eat."

Finn gave a futile "Hey, wait.." as the woman left earshot.

Finn reluctantly took the seat and looked around. The room was dark, even with the burning fireplace and growing light outside the window. The wooden floor looked more grey than brown, contrasting to the nut colored corner posts and boards lining the bottom of the walls. Above those, the wall appears though it was meant to be white, but has been dinged to a yellow color, like that of aged paper. Tables laid sparse around the room, individuals sitting at each and musicians upon a stage at the other end of the room. Each glanced at him and stopped their instrumental ministrations before quickly returning to their gentle discourse, all but one, who faced away, staring blankly at a wall. If this is the costume party the dude came from, it's very.. toned down. With my own glance of the room, I could not see a sign the infuriatingly slippery demon. A scratching like noise infiltrated my ears. I looked to the source to see it was Finn, gripping and itching at the table with his nails and claw, leaving deep marks in the beaten table. I looked closer at his face to see it strained, teeth clenched, and eyes locked straight ahead. I turned my gaze to see where his sat to see it laid on the fire, flickering it's burning tongues in the mouth of the stone bricked fireplace.

I slowly grasped his shoulder and lightly shook it. He broke his gawking, and stopped his mutilation of the table's surface, turning his head towards me with a "Hmm?"

"You okay?"

"Mostly." He answered, gaining a few glances from a nearby table.

"Quiet. We don't want to draw any unwanted attention."

"Oh, okay." He whispered, avoiding the stares as they slowly turned away, whispering to one another.

"Okay, when the lady comes back, ask her about Bill. Until then, just act inconspicuous."

"Inconspicuous. Got it." Finn gave a look about before scooting in his seat and pretending to look at his hands in his lap.

Soon the woman came back with a single plate with a small bit of mashed potatoes, some sliced, brothy meat and steaming carrots. The aroma filtered through the air but held no affect on me. I could not say the same for Finn, who was practically salivating on the table, his eyes already eating up the dish. And there I heard an immense growl emit from the pit of the starved boy's begging stomach. The sound caused the people nearby to give a startled glance before their looks turned to that of sympathy then turned away, eyes avoiding the ragged child. "Who is he?" "Maybe he's simple." "No, probably a Pauper." "But what of that crown?" "Lost royalty?" "Or a fake." I quickly felt myself begin to scowl at the growing whispers. Who are they to say what he is? What do they know? Nothing. They don't know him. They don't know what he's been through. My scowl lackens as I look back to the boy, now having already half scarfed down the carrots, a handful of potatoes in one hand and the the rest of the carrots in another, seeing his thin stomach convulse under his torn blue shirt. I don't know what he's been through.

"Whoa. Slow down there." The woman said, slightly grasping onto Finn's shoulder, causing him to stop. "You're going to upset your stomach if you keep eating like that." Finn looked up at her before looking down at his hands. Swallowing down the carrots in his mouth, he slid the food in his hands back on the plate.

He then carefully grabbed a fork and slowly filled it with potatoes as he uttered a "Sorry.", keeping his eyes low. He put the scop into his mouth as the woman gave a slow shake of her head.

"Oh don't be. This isn't as bad as when the Tailor eats. I don't need to add salt to his." She stated, gesturing to a sad man with grey hair, a long nose and face, with a pair of small spectacles, sitting alone at a far table.

"It's true." He cried, putting his face into his hands, lowly shaking it as he did.

"Keep it together, Tailor." Said another man.

"Besides, it don't look like you've eaten a crumb in ages. You know what! This one's on the house, my treat."

"O-oh. Thank you" Finn stammered, looking down at the table's wooden grains.

The woman then placed her hands on her hips, staring down at him.

"Now, would you like to explain why a young fella like yourself was doing around here out at an hour like this?" She asked. Finn swallowed the potatoes and gave a small cough.

"Well, I'm looking for a friend. I was told that they would be here. I also heard they would be with someone named Wort."

"Wirt." I whispered into his ear.

"Wirt." He quickly corrected. "Have they come by tonight?"

The woman put her finger on her chin, "Wirt. Wirt." she hummed under her breath before clapping her hands together. "Oh. You mean the Pilgrim."

"Pilgrim?" Finn asked, his face appearing far more confused than I imagine mine must look, the thought of turkey and cranberry sauce filling my assumptions.

"Oh you know a.." She paused, rubbing at her brow, before calling to the other tavern residents, "Oh, how did you describe him?"

"A Pauper." One man called from the table that had been whispering.

"No no. The Pilgrim."

"A traveler on a sacred journey." One man spoke.

"The master of their own destiny." Another chimed.

"The hero of their own story!" A third cried.

Finn's smile grew as each statement reached his hat covered ears, setting down the fork and whispered to me, "I think I like this 'Pilgrim.'" Then leaned forward, smiling from cheek to cheek.

Soon a man looked over, wearing a red suit, grey pants, and knee high black boots, looking at Finn with a questionable glance, a young, blond boy tied to him by a rope.

"And who are you by the way?" He asked.

Finn's smile fell in just the slight as he replied, "I'm Finn."

The woman looked at the man then back at Finn as she shook her head. "No, who ARE you?" Finn's his brows knitted together at the question as I too became perplexed.

"I-I don't.. What do you mean?"

The woman stood tall as she nodded to a large man in an apron, "Well, he's the Butcher."

"I'm the Butcher." Said the Butcher.

"..The Baker.."

"Yeah!" Said the Baker.

"..The Midwife.."

The Midwife gave a cough.

"..The Master and the Apprentice.." She pointed to the man and boy tied to one another. "The Tailor."

The sad man from before, gave a low moan of response.

"And I'm the Tavern Keeper." Spoke the woman, giving a nod to herself then pointing at Finn, "Who are you?"

"I-I um.. I'm Finn. ..The Merten's kid. ..One arm. ..The farmer's boy. I-I don't know."

"You don't look like the Farmer's boy. He's taller and more plump." Said the Butcher. "And large muscles on his arms. And you don't look like you have a one."

"But are you not royalty?" One man asked from the whispering table, pointing at the crown. Finn held it down on his head as he looked down at the table, his eyes seeming to go unfocused.

"No no. I.." 

"I'm the Highwayman." Finn looked over to the man, who just spoke, still facing the wall.

"I-I.. Okay." Finn said in confusion before he turned back to the group, "I'm.."

"I'm the Highwayman." The man interrupted again, regaining Finn and my attention. He turned to the side, showing his profile, reddened nose and ears, stubbled cheeks and chin, as well as a black mask upon his face.

"I make ends meet

Just like any man

I work with my hands" He brought his hand up before his face.

"If you cross my path" Then clenched it shut. He then walked on stage. The musicians, already there, began to play a mid-tempo as the man giving an empty look began to dance, with swinging arms and odd movements, and sing.

"I"ll knock you out

Drag you off the road

Steal your shoes from off your feet

I'm the Highwayman

And I make ends mee-e-e-e-t." He sang his final line with a throat slitting motion before staring at the crowd in an, to me, immensely unsettling manner. The people gave cheer and applause as the man quickly stood and scurried off the stage back towards his spot by the wall. Finn stood there, appearing uncomfortable as he looked around confusedly.

He then gave a sigh. "Look. I'm not anything. I'm just trying to find someone. My friend and I have been traveling all night and.."

"Oh. So you're a Cadger." 

"What?"

"A traveler free to wander." One man called.

"A man not restrained by riches." Another chimed.

"What? I.. No. You're not liste.."  
    "Sing your Cadger tale." Another joined, pulling Finn from his seat.

"Yeah! Sing your tale. Sing your song." 

Another pushing him towards the stage, him from out of under my hand, the puppet being pulled off by the cape before falling to the ground as the end of the cape brushed over it. I gasped as it pulled off, searching the floor in haste, then spotted it as it appeared from beneath the blue fabric. I reached for it only for it to be swooped up before my hand could clasp onto it. I look up to see a round man in a yellow shirt, green apron, and a red cap, with grey hair and mustache. And in his grasp was the doll, which he looked down at confusingly before giving a shrug and placing it in his breast pocket, walking off towards the rest of the crowd.

"Wha-" cried Finn.

"Sing. Sing. Sing." And on the stage he was sent with a hefty shove. He stumbled before catching himself on his feet.

"I-I.." He turned around, his eyes wide, and mouth slightly agape, as he looked around at the small crowd, still cheering him on. "Y-you'll tell me where my friend is if I sing?" The crowd continued to chant as he gazed down at them. He closed his mouth and furrowed his brow as he held his mechanical arm, glancing at the stone stiff man at the wall then back at the crowd. "Alright then."

The people grew quiet as they turned an attentive ear, awaiting for his song. He gave a cough before taking a breath. And he sang.

"My tale is not that of a man of proud,

But I do tell to you in words so true.

My family was in debt, so go must our mule,

To pay the Gang of Destiny; Oh what an awful crew!" I flew over the people and looked for the man, soon spotting him near the edge of the crowd.

"But in a tree did get stuck that grosh stubborn mule,

And still to this day, I don't know how he did.

So to the mule did I walk, only to fall, with my little pup, in a pit." I grew closer, keeping an ear on Finn, who continued his song, with no notice to my direct absence.

"And in that hole did I find a crown made with jewel,

And there too, a lady old, who spoke of tales and magic,

Guarding that crown, she said was magic, from such a young lil' fool.

But even so, I, not believing her word, took the crown, which to not she bid."

I slowly reached for the doll. As I did the man suddenly crossed his arm over his chest and it, causing me to quickly pull back. The other arm's elbow rested on the arm crossed as he held his chin, a look of contemplation growing upon his face.

"I returned to town to sell my prize and save my dad.

But snatched from me did they, the Gang of Destiny, to which I took it back.

But in my absence I found the town to come on fire.

They, I knew, had done and put everyone in great dire." I looked back up at Finn to be taken back at what I saw. He stood tall and straight, his eyes focused and watching, yet soft and moist, as though he were ready for a battle that he knew was a fallen one. His hands and feet moved, speaking for his story where his words did not, the band playing in the back, creating a melody and rhythm that fell to his song like milk and butter. The beat felt chipper but the emotion in his eyes was somber yet calm. This was not the boy to whom I've been traveling with for the past night and yet, there he stood with his voice in sour delight.

"I met again the lady old, as I went to town.

But I did not listen to her warn as I asked if the magic, she had spoke, was truly in that crown.

She told me yes and of its power and danger and that I got to believe her.

I looked at the town, burned and smoked, and at my own home, all set aflame, my family trapped within.

The very thought of it now brings me to such a dread.

And so, I said that I did and I put that crown upon my head." I pulled my eyes away and turned back to see the man no longer where he had been. I looked about, then spotted him, moving towards the center of the crowd, next to a man, the Tailor I think, appearing to be crying into his hands. I slowly flew closer to the man, keeping an ear onto Finn's song.

"Then in my cranium brain, did it speak of promise as I coughed up a slug of snow.

And with new power, I put out the fire and stopped the Destiny Gang, to lesser than slow.

But.."

"This ain't no Cadger song." The Butcher interrupted, hitting his fist on the table; causing Finn to jump out from his seemingly tranced singing, snapping his mouth shut with a click.

"It's a metaphor." The Tailor proclaimed with a sniff.

"I already said to keep it together." Another called.

I slowly reached for the doll just as the man gave a loud, "Hey!" Startling both Finn and I. "I know what you are." He said, looking up at Finn, a gleam in his eye and his hands on his hips. "You're a Porter." Finn looked at him with confusion in his eye.

"A Porter? You mean someone that, like, watches ports or something?"

"No no. A Porter."

"A man with a task."One man called.

"The conqueror of great challenges." Another joined.

"The hero of his mission." A third chimed.

"A Porter." Finn repeated, his hand pulling on one of the nubs of his hat as he held a shy smile.

"Oh share what it is you must do." One joyed, grasping onto Finn's elbow.

"Tell us your mission! What quests have you lie ahead?" Another gleed.

"Oh regale. Regale with us your travels, Porter!" A third rejoiced. In their excitement, I reached for the doll again, taking hold of it's arm and giving a slight tug, pulling it halfway out of the pocket. The man looked down suddenly, stopping my slow progress. He grabbed the doll and readjusted it, my hand, still grasping it, followed to not suggest something being caught on the puppet. He let go and brought his attention back to Finn, ears turned and ready to listen.

Finn's eyes dashed from face to face around the room as he stuttered, "I-I-I.." Before they fell to the floor. "I traveled through and got out of a tunnel of.. of fire?" All the people cheered and urged him to continue, all but the man facing the wall. "And I-I.. I'm on a quest to find my friend." Finn called, suddenly standing heroically as the crowd cheer once more. I felt my eyes roll as I reached for the doll again ever so cautiously. Finn then smiled as he dramatically leaned forward, causing his cape to drape over his shoulders and forearms. "And I faced a talking horse who told me how to avoid the Beast."

All who had cheered then gave a loud gasp. The man did also, his hands coming up to his heart in a startled jump, sending the doll out of his pocket and to the floor. I quickly grasped it and dragged it quickly between people's feet to a near table, hiding it in the shadow beneath. I looked out and felt myself freeze at the crowd's expressions, all pallid and sick, like the color of their very flesh fled at the utter of the word they just heard.

"Oh, goodness." One cried.

"The Beast." Another choked. Finn stopped his dramatic lean, straightening up to a slouched posture as he looked upon the pale faces in bewilderment.

"W-what's wrong? You've heard of the Beast?" The Tavern Keeper came forward, looking down at Finn with an unreadable expression.

"We ALL know the Beast, Porter." She crouched forward, looked Finn in the eye, and began to sing. I'm starting to think that's what all these guys do in their spare time. 

She reached to one of the tables and grasped a candle within its holder, bringing it under her chin, making its light cascade up into dancing shadows upon her face.

"He lurks out there in the Unknown,"  She moved and looked out the window by the unfinished food, the dawn sky lighting the shadows on her face.

"Seeking those who are far from home," She then turned, putting the brightening window to her back, bringing her face into a harsh shadow, the candle the only light penetrating her darkened face.

"Hoping never to let you return." She slowly took steps towards Finn, who backed away as she did.

"Ooh-Ooh, Better beware,

Ooh-Ooh, The Beast is out there,

Ooh-Ooh, Better be wise and don't believe his lies." He continued to back from her advancement until he hit a wall, stopping his retreat. The musicians walked away to the other side of the stage. His eyes grew wide, staring at the woman, as he pushed himself onto the wall.

"For once your will begins to spoil," The woman stopped her advancement, standing just before the frozen child, who shrunk at her seemingly towering height, which only seemed so to his cowardice crouch. I watched her as she spoke, my face scrunching up as I remembered the horse's words, then the boy I spied by the river. Are they really talking about the same guy? I turned my gaze back to Finn, seeing his fingers twitched and shake as he held them in front of his torso. I quickly glanced around, seeing no one looking towards my direction. I stealthily slid the doll from table to table closer and closer to Finn.

"He'll turn you to a tree of oil," She brought up the candle up in front of her lips,

"And use you in his lantern for to burn." And blew out the candle, leaving nothing but a puff of smoke swirling from the cooling wick. She quickly backed up as Finn closed his eyes and gave a small cough into his claw, waving his hand at the dissipating grey cloud.

He cracked his eyes open, seeing the people all standing behind the woman. "I-I.." He gave a swallow. He looked around at the ground. He then, from under the table I hid, spotted the doll that I had since placed upon my hand. I felt myself grow cold as he patted his shoulder and his eyes grew wide. He then gripped the fabric as he shook his head and furrowed his brow, suddenly standing tall as he looked at the people. "I just want to help my friend."

The woman looked down questionably before suddenly lighting up as she looked at the boy. "Oh yes. That's why you came here, ain't it?" The woman gave a shrug of her shoulders. "No one else has come in tonight but you I'm afraid."

What?!

"Wait, what? B-but Quinc- I mean Sir Endicott told us.. me that he had dropped them off here earlier this night in his carriage." Finn exclaimed frantically. The woman tapped her chin before answering.

"Well there was a carriage that had stopped outside for a time. And I spied a couple of figures step out before it left." Finn's eyes lit up as he glanced at me before turning back to the woman.

"Yes, that must have been them. Do you know where they had gone?"

The woman looked down with a slow shake of her head. "I know not dear." Finn's bright look faded as he gripped his cape and wrung it in his hands.

"O-oh."

"But I had seen the shorter one flee to the woods, quickly followed by the taller; just after the carriage had vanished out of sight."

Finn's looked back up again with wide eyes, "W-which way?"

The man, who had taken the doll, stepped forward and grabbed Finn's arm, "You don't need directions, Porter. You just follow that compass in here," he said, poking at the confused boy's chest, "and let your feet carry you." The man let go and backed away as Finn looked down, grasped his own chest, and held his crown. He gripped his shirt tighter as he looked up at the man with a smile.

"Y-yeah. Yeah!" He cried just as he suddenly ran across the room, his bangs and cape flying behind him as he jumped over the dog, slammed the door open, and ran out. "Ready or not, here I come!"

My jaw dropped at the gaping door, pooling light onto the dusty floor. H-he left. Just left. What?! I felt myself rub my brow, knitting my eyes shut as I tried to piece what had just occurred. And it seemed I was not the only one as no sounds but the crackling of the dying fire entered my ears. And slowly, each person returned to what they had been doing prior to the boy's entrance, chatting and moving about. Words of what a strange child he was and questions upon his oddly bony arm followed out before fading to growing conversations. I then heard thumping suddenly grow near then stop. I looked out from beneath my fingers to see a hand grasping the doll and pulling it off my unseen hand. I reached for it only for it to be pulled out of reach. I looked up to see it was the same man again, who was looking between the doll and his pocket. He gave a small hum as he turned around and walked towards the far wall. I gave a low groan as I glared at the man's ankles from where I crouched. I flew up through the wooden table and shot towards the man.

My scowl softened as I spotted the small shelf before the man, full of antique styled toys. Each looked like an individual in the Tavern, from the Butcher to the dog, appearing to be hand crafted. I gazed over them before, in the corner of my eye, seeing the man put down the doll. He looked down on it as he gave a hum.

"Interesting fella aren't you. I wonder to whom you belong." He spied at it for a moment longer before giving a shrug as he glanced over the shelf, then moved the doll over towards some others. "There you go. That's better." He then moved over and pick up a block of wood then walked over to a simple chair, and sat down. He then began to chip at the exposed wood ever so gently yet fluidly. I watched for a moment before turning back as seeing his attention to be focused. I moved towards the doll before taking pause. Next to the doll was one far too familiar to not recognize. It was the boy in his blue cloak and red pointed cone. But he did not have the branching antlers or colored nor whitened eyes, but just a boy made of wood. And beside him sat a green painted frog and another, far shorter, boy with a kettle upon his head, to which my doll sat by, and a blue bird. I gazed over the toys then back at the wooden figure and became curious as to why those features were left off. I shook the thought out of my head as I went back for the puppet. I looked around the room again, the door swinging wide open. Seeing not an eye in my direction I took the puppet and immediately flew towards the open door, creating an upwind that slammed it shut as I passed through. A few calls of confusion erupted from within only to quickly quell back to idle chatter. I looked around, before flying down the path. Trees passed in a blur as I looked between them, searching for a spot of blue through the morning sun's beams. The path twisted and turned in sweeps and curls that brought disorientation from my quick speed, causing me to slow and take a long look around.

I then heard a call up ahead to which I looked towards. And there I spied the little boy blue, racing back down the path, hollering my name. I called unto him as we grew near to one another. With clearer sight, I could see faded streaks down his cheeks masked by his hay colored hair.

"Oh grod man, I'm sorry! I got all hyped and just left you there!" He yelled growing closer. I opened my mouth to call to him just as a man jumped up from behind him, clubbing him in the head with a sickening crack. Time seemed to slow as he fell, his eyes rolling back into his head and closing as he landed with a thump. The crown flew through the air, bouncing on the ground before slowly rolling to a stop. I looked up at the figure standing over the unconscious body. It was the Highwayman, his empty eyes looking down at the sleeping boy, hand still holding the enormous, now broken, branch. He threw it to the ground as he flipped the body over and began searching his pockets. I felt myself grow ill as I sat frozen, the look of pain abruptly overtaking the apologetic one on his face drowned into the forefront of my mind, disrupting the webs of it. The man searched only to find a single piece of paper, to which he quickly discarded over his shoulder with a gruff, before moving over to the golden headdress upon the ground. The reflectance of the sun upon the crown, as he picked it up, hit through my eye, bringing me out of my daze up to the man, now poking at the red jewels.

Heat raised in my core as winds began to blow. I felt my eyes burn as the man, suddenly in confusion, took hold of his hat as he looked around before spotting me. His eyes grew wide. I looked at him as he gave a shiver to the cold, taking some small steps back. I grew closer, winds growing harsher and colder, whips of blue fire sparking in the spinning air as I glared down. I outstretched my hand and spoke.

"I believe you have something that doesn't belong to you." My voice echoed like that of a furious lion in a monstrous cavern giving a low warning growl. It surprised me but I refused to show it. The man then returned my glare, putting the crown behind his back.

"Whys it matter to you? It ain't your's. Hey, it ain't even his." The man huffed, backing up even more. "So why don't you just go onwards and do your spirit business and I'll go and do mine?" He spoke with an unwavering face.

"NO!" I boomed, making the ground shake like an earthquake and the wind pull leaves off the trees. The man flailed his arms as he tried to hold his balance against the shaking earth and powerful wind, all to fail in his attempts as he lost his footing by a sudden strong gust. He tumbled with a hefty fall and gave a grunt as his head hit a trunk of a tree, hard. He slid to the ground with his head lolling to where his chin rested on his chest, out cold. I looked at him, as the quake quickly stopped, seeing the only movements he made was the slow rise and fall of his chest and release of the crown, slightly rolling out of his palm. I looked down and was startled at what I saw. In the reflection was a figure like I of a glowing blue mist, swirling in place as eyes burned of intense blue fire. My hair waved like I was submerging in water, my birthmark glowing like suns in the darkness of space on my forehead. And my very translucent form being illuminated by the waking colors of the morning. I backed up, the wind slowing to a stop as I grabbed my jaw, backing up as I did. I began to breath hard as I pulled at my flowing hair. "W-what?!" My hair began to fall and eyes lose their burn, but the core within my chest persisted it's heat as I stared down at the man. He did not fear me as he saw me like this and yet I tremble at the reflection I have just perceived.

I shook my head as I heard a low groan, gaining my attention. I turned to see Finn, on his side holding his head and rubbing it as he gave another moan.

"Hmm. Ow." He moved his hand towards the back of his head before giving a hiss. He turned over to his other side, rocking on it slightly before cracking his eye open. He squinted them as light assaulted his eyes. He looked up and spotted me, he grew a small smile as he slowly pushed himself up with one hand, the other still on his head, gazing around.

"Hi. What.." He froze, spying the crown on the ground then the man next to it. He stared for a moment before jumping on top of it and just as quickly retracting, the crown held to his chest.

"Why.. What.." he sputtered. He then spied the branch. He  looked back to the man as he softly touched his head. He looked up at the piles of scattered leaves then to me. I flew over and spoke through the puppet.

"Are you okay? How's your head?" I spurted. He looked back down at his crown and placed it on his head with a hiss then slowly stood. I quickly grasped his arm and helped him up.

"It's.. sore. But okay." I let go and watched as he slightly staggered as he straightened up.

"Are you lightheaded? Dizzy at all?" He stared back down at the man as he held his head.

"A.. A little."

"Do you want to rest for a bit?" Finn gazed at me then back at the man, grasping his arm.

"No. No, I want to keep going." He turned and began walking down the road. "I gotta let my feet carry me." I floated there silently as I gave one final glance at the sleeping body before catching up to Finn. I peeked at my reflection in the crown to see my reflection back to it's 'normal' mist. Slight relief filled me as I turned my stare to the ground just behind his moving feet, seeing occasional patches of frost being left where his foot just left, varying in size and intensity before suddenly fading all together.

"Hey." I looked back up, seeing Finn still facing forward.

"Yeah?" I asked, looking at the back of his head.

"Thanks, man. For.." He grew quiet, slouching just slightly. I looked at him, his pained face flashed behind my lids. I wrapped my arms around myself as I looked down.

"Don't worry about it."


	20. In Sleep

We traveled in silence for so long. Finn stayed slouched ahead of me, avoiding looking my way whenever I moved to his side. Eventually I simply moved behind and simply followed, gazing at the nature around. The sun, on our right, was now no longer touching the horizon, moving faster than our progress. The sky exchanging its colorful display for a more delicate pale blue, the umber trees windowing glimpses of the wispy clouds floating up above. Again, I felt calm take me out of my mind to a peaceful nothing. I breathed in slow as I let the lids of my eyes rest for a moment. It was a wonder that I could even feel the sensation of breath in my ghostly lungs.

Suddenly, a pain sparked across my arms, like a tightening vice. I gripped them and fell to my knees with a cry. I looked down to see my form fading between that of a fog, thin and wispy like the clouds, to smoke, thick and choking. I closed my eyes tightly as rush of hurt trembled through my back. Finn spun around with eyes, wide and confused before locking onto me, becoming fearful and more befuddled. The pain continued to crawl as Finn hurried over and kneeled by my side.  
“Dipper?” He tried to grab my shoulder only for his hand to pass through what felt like varying consistencies, such as air to jello. He clenched and unclenched his hands as he shifted on his knees, lowering down to look at me directly. “What’s wrong!? Are you okay!?!” The pain continued to grow, inviting a throb into my skull. Then the pain began to lessen to a tolerable sting. I hissed as the throb in my head continued its roar for another course before turning to quiet growls of distaste. I slowly opened my eyes as I felt my being steadily stabilize. I took my time before taking stand. I rubbed my arms once more then let them drop as Finn stood himself, watching me with concern.  
“Yeah. Yeah, just..” The low heat in my chest pulled forward, down the path. “We really need to get going.” I headed forward before jerking to a stop.

I looked behind to see Finn holding onto my bare ghostly hand. I gazed up to the blue tinted white of his eyes, his hold tightening as the pull in my chest strengthened. His blonde brows furrowed as he bit his lip.  
“What are you not saying?” I was stunned. I avoided his glance then stared at the ground.  
“I don’t know what you’re..”  
“You are going all wad on me and failing at hiding it. Now what’s got you freaking?” I pulled against his grip, which refused to let go.  
“Nothing. We just need to hurry.”  
“That’s all we’ve been doing and you’ve never explained why? I know we’re looking for your friend but I can tell there’s more to it. You never said how you became a ghost, which you don’t have to if it’s too uncomfortable; I can understand. But you keep just, I don’t know, falling asleep without actually sleeping then get freaked about something. How do you think I feel, with not just my jacked up brain, but also with your hidey hole mouth? It’s hard enough being trapped in a labyrinth but I don’t need to be stuck in riddles either.” He yelled, throwing his hands around, gesturing to me, his head and crown, and the surrounding wood.  
All I could do was stare. He was more observant than I thought, which both intrigued and worried me. Finn stayed silent, awaiting an answer. I stared a moment longer, as I remembered his own proclamation, in verse, at the tavern, before giving a sigh.  
“Can I tell you as we walk?” Finn looked at me before his eyes changed back and he let his hand fall through mine.  
“Okay.”  
I rubbed at my chest where the pull centered from, not letting up. “Bill’s not actually my friend. He just..” I gave another sigh as Finn fixated his sights on me, feet treading on the trail. “It’s.. gah. It’s a long story.”  
“And I have ears. Let me hear.” I stared at him as he watched me. It wasn’t uncomfortable, it felt like a calm, patient gaze, just watching and waiting. I gave a small head nod as I tugged at the tips of my hair.  
“Okay.”

So I began to unravel my tale, from the beginning of my summer adventures and discovery of the journal. It felt so odd, talking about it. Especially since it hadn’t been on my mind less and less since coming here. It was like, it didn’t really matter. Not here, not now at least. I’m pretty sure earlier me would be absolutely astonished with the prospect of me not contemplating the mysteries of Gravity Falls and how cool Ford is. I probably should be more worried about that than I am, but I’m not. New mysteries and questions have arose that have taken the forefront of my mind, sending me further and further into this strange place. I wonder if it it even is in the same world. It seems like it, but it doesn’t feel like it.  
I told of the creatures I’d seen and the challenges and dangers I faced. Finn seemed more enamored by this, so I that was what mostly focused on, still trying to keep as accurate as possible. I didn’t go into much detail of people or all that had happened this summer, feeling myself sadden when I even said their name. Especially Mabel’s, remembering the last needless, but still hurtful, fight we had. I believed Finn may have noticed as he tried to nudge his shoulder into mine, actually going into mine. Still I appreciated the gesture. Though I noted he seemed to tense as well when I said Mabel’s, Ford’s, and Stan’s name. Perhaps there was someone he knew with those same names that he had a bad memory of. I should ask him later. He paid extra close attention when I began mentioning Bill, when I talked about all the things he had done, both to me and of what else I knew. And by what I could tell, Finn wasn’t impressed with him. He seemed to almost growl with every deed he’d done and deceit he pulled. That part of my telling was most probably the longest as I discussed all of it that I could pull forth into my mind. But soon I came to the part where I had found Finn, not going into too much detail of after falling through the portal.  
“...and the rest you know or is untold.” Finn looked at me with an perplexed gaze as he rubbed his chapped lips together. His face was angled down scowling silently, staring at his walking bare feet. Then his expression changed, wide eyed and jaw loose. He turned to me with an almost sad look.

“So, you lied to me.” I felt myself sink at those words. It’s true, I did. I lied to him for my own gain. And it hurts, more than I would have wished to expect.  
“I-I- yeah.” I felt my momentum slow as I watched the pebbles pass slowly by below my floating feet. Finn, seeing my own change, glanced back at me then to the path, face in a focused look.  
“But you also kept it.” I looked up at him with low eyes, partly confused. I guess he took my silence as permission to continue as that is what he did. “Your promise. You kept it, even with all the opportunities not to, you still did.” I just stared at him. My promise. He said it like I had done some honorable thing by keeping it. But is that really so. I had honestly forgotten about it, if only for a little while. I didn't think so, but Finn seemed to think otherwise. But he wouldn’t if.. I faced down and sucked on my bottom lip. No. Nope. I will not turn into.. that again.

“Hey, what’s that?” I looked back up and up ahead was a small red building with a set of three windows on the side and two on either side of the door, a small roof covered porch, a bell tower near the front, and a chimney at the back.  
“A- a schoolhouse.” It was a schoolhouse but confusion I found when I gazed around, seeing nothing but woods all round and a pond nearby, finding it strange that a place of education would lie in seemingly nowhere.  
“A schoolhouse? I’ve never been to one of those before.” Unexpected by me, Finn quickly trotted to the lone building, his bare feet slapping at the tufted grass. I just as quickly followed, calling unto him to stop his pace. As we grew closer, the sound of a piano accompanied with tubas, drums, trumpets and other assortments of instruments through the morning air.

Once we was there, he pressed himself against the siding and moved just below an open window and peeped in.  
“Finn, come on we don’t have time for this.” I whispered. Finn shushed me and peered further in. With a sigh I too looked and was surprised at what I saw. Animals. Animals in clothing, playing instruments and eating mashed potatoes and.. a strange looking gravy. There was nothing about any clothed, musical animals in the journals. How could Ford miss this? I then heard a scraping sound beside me. I looked over to see Finn holding a plate with the same food the animals had before them, eating away. “H-how..” I looked back into see a fox walk back to, what I imagine is, his seat to appear shocked as he looked at the empty spot. I turned back to Finn, who was already halfway finished. “How did you do that?” He gave a hum before swallowing his mouthful and spoke.  
“I just reached in and grabbed it. Hmm. You should really try this stuff. It’s good.”  
“Yeah but..” I looked back to see a rabbit walk up to the fox, who had began searching the room, with a plate in hand- er- paw and gave it to them. The fox, looking between the plate and the rabbit, grabbed a plate that a dog was licking up, put half on it, and gave the rabbit her plate back.

As I watched this Finn had placed the plate back down, half the food still on it. A potato covered possum walked by then paused once spotting it. They looked around before grabbing it and ate it in a mass mess, adding to the brown and white substance on their maw. They then put it down and walked away just as swiftly as they came.  
“Awe. Leave some for the other guys. You already had two plates.” Finn scoffed under his breath. I gave a chuckle as Finn continued to glare at the rodent, huffing as he furrowed his brow. Suddenly, a breaking sound from the other side of the room erupted pausing the animals music. The piano, too, stopped and shoe steps on hardwood resonated through the floorboards, catching my attention. I looked at the feet of the animals, seeing no heel or sole on a single paw or hoof as they trampled about as standing animals would. I turned my eyes up to see a woman in a white blouse and neck bow and a long purple-like skirt, paired with a bow as well, in the back, with hair tied up into a bun atop her head. She walked over to a raccoon looking down upon a flute crushed beneath a deer’s hoof. The deer lifted its foot and gave a soft look at the raccoon before slowly backing away. The woman reached down and picked up the shattered instrument, it snapping in two as she did. She gave a sigh then patted the sad raccoon's head.  
“I don’t think we can fix this. We’ll have to get a new one.” She moved over and placed the instrument on a far windowsill. She looked down beside it and gave a hum. “Now where did the-” With a scoff, she shook her head. “Probably some rascal thief again.” She turned back to the group and clapped her hands together. “It appears we may need to do another fundraiser. What do you all think?” she asked. All the animals erupted into chorus of yips and other animal sounds, a pig and cat cheering the loudest, patting the racoon on the back, who appeared a little more glad. “I’ll take that as a definitely.” She said with a smile, walking back to the piano. “Shall we practice then?” Animals rushed to their instruments and began to play, all but the three, instrumentless, who walked to their seats and listened quietly.

Then a shadow caught the corner of my eye. I looked over and spied none other than Finn on the opposite side of the building reaching towards the broken instruments. I looked over, seeing the space next to me empty. With a jump, I flew around the school, coming up next to Finn, who was sitting on the ground, inspecting the two pieces of the flute.  
“What are you doing?!” I yell-whispered, holding the puppet in front of his face.  
“Trying to fix it.” He replied, shoving the pieces together  
“Why?” He gave a shrug as he tore of a piece of bandage from his robotic arm, took it and wrapped it around the instrument, binding the pieces together. He looked it over again then brought the end to his mouth. I quickly closed the puppet over the end, muffling the horrid sound that came out. Finn looked at the puppet confused, I brought it up and pointed to the open window. “Do you want to announce our presence?” He looked up then down again.  
“I guess not.” he said with another shrug. He stood and walked off. I gave a roll of my eyes and followed, going down the path and away from the fading music. We traveled for a bit until the building was out of sight, then Finn played a note again, sounding more like a choking bird than music. I covered my ears only for the sound to pass right through my air-like and puppet covered hand. He gave a hum as he looked around, grabbing twigs and sticks, shoving them into holes here and there. I watched him curiously before he readied to blow, covering my ears again, knowing well it would not help, but did so anyway. He played a note that actually sounded like one. I uncovered my ears and looked over seeing him turning one of the branches and playing again, sounding better with each twist.

Soon he was playing without a squeak or squawk, pitch and tone flowing in a smooth melody, as smooth as a flute can be. Looking over at him, he could easily fit into some renaissance fair, no, more like a role playing game or group of some kind, not like F. C. L. O. R. P. (Foam and Cardboard Legitimate Outdoor Role Play) but less made-by-child-adults-with-boxes-and-tape sort of thing. He reminded me of some sort of blue prince elf or something. I watched then gave into my curiosity.

“Hey.”  
“What?” He asked, pulling the instrument from his mouth.  
“How do you know how to play that?”  
“Hmm? This?” He asked pointing to the flute. I gave a nod of the puppet to which he saw. “Well,” he began, looking ahead again. “I kinda taught myself. There’s not much to do on the farm in winter. So, I traded Choose Bruce a couple of wood logs for it. We had some extra so Pop and Ma didn’t get upset, plus it was something to do other than I Spy in a small house in the lone drone of winter. I originally wanted the sword, but it wouldn’t be of much fun inside all the time, plus he had already sold it and was just holding onto it for the time. I used to have one, but broke it when I used it as an axe after our own broke.”  
“Wait. So you traded for a flute. Why didn’t you get an axe to replace the one you broke? And firewood? Don’t you have any electricity or anything?”  
“No we don’t have much of that stuff. The rich and smart people generally hog things like that. Unless thieves or vigilantes have other plans. But for an axe, I already got one earlier by trading off my shoes.” He said, sticking up his bare foot, hopping on the other as we walked.  
“Okay. Then what happened to your old flute then?”  
“It went up Tromo’s nose.” I readied to reply but thought against it and sighed  
“I don’t even want to know.”  
“Hmm, kinda already do.” I looked at him with a questioning expression before giving a shake of my head.  
“Whatever.”

I looked to where the schoolhouse lied then back to Finn, watching as he reached down, tearing a piece off his already torn pants up to his mid calf, hopping as he did. He’s a lot better at balancing than than he looks like he should. He took the cloth and tied it around the instrument, avoiding covering any holes or twigs, making a loop then placed it around his neck. The flute, with makeshift repairs, bounced on his chest to his quick pace. He looked back at me and gave a smile.  
“Can I beat up Bill when we get him out of your body?” I was stunned to say the least, because, well, I didn’t expect that. Finn, who had never even met the guy, wanted to try to beat up a literal demon. I wanted to say he was out of his mind if it weren’t for that’s all I’ve been trying to do all summer. Beat his game. I sucked on my teeth as I remembered Bill and I’s short but oddly peaceful travel through the woods before our departure. I looked down at the doll on my hand, thinking about how odd he had acted, then back to Finn, who was still waiting for an answer from the ghost controlled puppet.

Before I could, a scream swallowed my words, echoing in the air. I hurt. I hurt. The pain from before had returned, tripling in it’s agony. I fell to the ground in a quivering mess, shaking and holding my tortured arms, legs curled up to my chest. Finn gasped as he looked down at me, again, trying to comfort my growing suffering. Then a sudden pain riddled up my back, followed by a throbbing becoming increasingly worse with each pulse. And at that moment, a cry, similar but not my own, resonated through the trees. I felt a yank at my core, trying to pull me down the path, and I was. In a sudden jerk, I was flying, more like being dragged against the ground at an incredible speed. I looked up to see Finn yelling at me as I flew further and further away. I cried back, calling for him in confusion and fear. He was only a blue dot between the wooden trunks before I saw the speck soon grow. As he grew closer to me, I saw his bangs flapping, like a mother bird’s frantic flight towards her nest, and his face, oh how frightened and concerned it looked. Then my head felt though it had been slammed into a tree trunk and everything faded.


	21. You Lay

My mind kept fading in and out. Voices blurred in a fog surrounding my head and images flashed through my drowsed eyes. I saw Finn in panic, yelling at me with only a few words here and there reaching my ears. Then shadows, long and branch-like, creeped from the edges going for Finn. I wanted to warn him, but I could not find my voice. The next moment, ice and branches flew through the air, their sources out of my sight. In the next blink of an eye, I saw Bill, tired, weak, and bruised, running to me only to be stopped by a furiously crazed Finn, who was covered in vines and leaves, wrapped around him. It became harder and harder to keep my eyes open, the world growing darker with each blink as blue flames surrounded the edge of my vision. Soon all That I could see was the slight glow of blue turn to yellow to white to azure.

And then I saw nothing. Everything soon grew quiet to only tweeting of birds and singing of insects. My lids felt too heavy for my thinning strength to open. Images continued to flash behind them of all I had seen since my coming to these woods, playing like a soundless color movie. I strained to move but could not as I sank down and down. I guess gravity can even pull a spector down, like emotions don’t do that enough. I would have continued down if not for the puppet still on my hand, resting on the ground above me. With great effort, I opened my eyes, seeing nothing but darkness around me. I tried to pull myself up only to fall right back. I did this several more times only to fall back each time. Eventually I gave up, just letting myself hang beneath the soil like some buried piñata, waiting to get whacked at. I felt myself grow tired. I was exhausted in so many ways. Mental, emotional, social, and physical. I would have never believed could be tired physically if not for the throbbing in my head right now. Ugh, I could even feel it in my hand. …

Wait. That was no throb. I wiggled my fingers slightly and felt a pull against the puppet. I clenched my fingers to hold on, it nearly getting tugged off, as it was the only thing keeping me close to the surface. The pull only seemed to increase by my gesture. Soon my arm was above the dirt to which I lay, up to my shoulder. With a sluggish head, I lifted it, bringing it above the cold earth as I continued to get pulled up. And to my eye, I spied a little blue bird with a grey head and red breast, clasping its beak onto the arm of the soot covered and partially charred doll, the heels of its clawed feet digging into the loose dirt, pulling ever so slowly. I'd be amazed that such a small little thing could pull me right out go the ground if not for that I'm pretty sure that ghosts have very little, if any, weight. So it was basically just pulling the doll across the ground. I wondered if it thought the arm was a worm left behind by the early birds as the sun grew past noon. My other shoulder poked out soon followed by my chest. Surprisingly, the parts of me that had been pulled up did not sink back to the ground that they had just come from, but instead laid atop it. With another pull, the bird’s beak lost its grip and fell backwards with probably the weirdest bird noise I've ever heard, almost sounded like a yelp.

“You know you can help too. I don't have to pull all the weight here.” The bird said, sitting up and ruffling its feathers. I felt my eyes grow large as I stared at the seemingly steaming animal. “Uhg. Why am I helping you again?” It asked itself, throwing its wings in the air and walking around in circles. “You haven’t helped any since you’ve come around. In fact, you’ve just managed to make things worse. Gah. Why did I listen to that dumb frog? I mean seriously.”  
“You’re a talking bird.” Were the only words to come out of my mouth through my grody head to which I immediately regretted. Genius Dipper. Just Genius, those are the first words that come out of your mouth? ‘You’re a talking bird!?’ Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant. The bird stopped it’s rampaging and turned around, hopping over to where my face lied.

“Finally. About time you woke. Now if you don’t mind, go do your whole floating gig and we can be on our way.” It spoke expectantly, poking at the doll. I continued to stare at it with blank eyes, watching as its smile turned to an eye roll. “Okay. Let’s start again. My name is Beatrice. And you are?” I continued to stare as she looked me right in my lidded eyes.  
“You can see me?” She gave a groan and shook her head.  
“I see you’re still a little soft in the membrane. I’ll give you a few minutes. If you’re not straightened out by then, I’m gonna personally drag you across this forest floor by the claw of my foot.” She stated, turning around and flying off. I stared at where she flew for a moment before pulling out my other arm from the burn crusted ground. I flopped my hand down to feel it partially chill. I looked up to see it phased through a spear of ice. I gazed around, spying more burned ground seeming to only encircle me, not a living thing within. Beyond it were bits of frozen ground encrusting the dying grass of fall and ice chunks and spears impaling the ground and nearby trees. And past those were twisted trees, roots and vines entangled around other surrounding other dead and dried vegetation and ice bits. It looked like a the remains of a great elemental battle.

With much effort, I pulled myself from the soil, feeling the puppet partially crumble in my palm. Eventually I was fully out but lacked the strength to do much more than turn to my back and keep my eyes open. With a sigh, I felt the throb in my head lessen, allowing me to think more clearly. And I tried to remember. I remembered being with Finn, watching him play his flute and look at me with calm eyes. I remembered being ripped from the air I filled and getting yanked across the ground, from once peaceful to rancorous surroundings. I remembered pain, screaming and fighting, but the details slipped me like the wind through the grasp of the trees tired hands. I stared at the sun, bringing pain into my eyes, causing me to turn away. I found it odd that the sun could still hurt my phantom eyes and yet I could not feel its sweet warmth on that crisp earth. I laid there in silence as the gentle wind blew the ashed blades of grass through the air, leaving their smoldering roots and scorched ground. I turned my head the other way and spied doll on my hand. It was mostly intact except for the burned holes and edges here and there. I closed my eyes and took another deep breath. I’ve gotten myself into some mess.

I stayed like that for another moment before a flapping sound caught my ear. I turned my head and opened my eye and saw the bird land.  
“Alright. Got you’re head all situated or is it going to be claw and drag time?” She emphasized by opening and shutting her claw in front of my face.  
“No. No, just-” I said, turning to my side. “Just give me a moment.” I moved quickly, not wanting to get pulled across the forest again. She looked up and gave a shake of her head as I tried to push myself up.  
“Fine but do hurry. Time is not an expendable resource.” I groaned as my back made a sickly crack as its bend. With a few more shoves, I was off the ground and floating, by barely a hair’s thickness. Beatrice stared at me and gave a sigh. “The best I could come up with. Wonderful.”  
“What’s that supposed to mean?” I asked, loosing my grogginess gradually. She flew up and gave me a look over.  
“I mean you’re not the most impressive nor, I think, best suited. But I’ve been surprised before. And desperate times call for desperate measures.” I stared at her as she turned around and flew through the trees. I stood my ground, okay, floated my ground and crossed my arms.  
“What are you talking about?” She stopped and turned around staring at me with a glare.  
“Oh, will not be difficult with me right now. I swear I always seem to get the stubborn ones. I just hope you don’t turn too.” She looked at me again and gave a huff. “Or turn anymore than you have.” She flew in a tight circle and pointed towards where she was heading. “Now we mustn’t dawdle. Don’t be so pigheaded and follow.”  
“Absolutely not. I am not about to be bossed around, especially by a bird.” She turned around and flew directly into my face, making me flinch but not back down.  
“Let’s get something clear here, okay? First, the name is Beatrice, not bird. Second, I know things that you don’t. Important things. Third, I’ve lived in these woods longer than you’ve been alive, so show some respect. And fourth, your little friend went this way.” She emphasised, gesturing again to where she was heading. Friend? Who?  
“F-Finn?”  
“Yeah, sure. I don’t think you want him on the loose, do you?”  
“I- I guess not. But why should I trust you?”  
“Because I’m the good guy this time.” A roll over took my eyes.  
“Oh sure. And I’m the comedic side kick with a monkey as an arch nemesis.” I motioned to her.  
“Oh ho ho. You’re so funny, I almost laughed my lunch out.”  
“Please don’t.”  
“Or should I fling some surprises about like a gleeful primate?”  
“Don’t, I insist.”  
“But seriously. We. Need. To. Go. Like right now or earlier preferably.” I watched her as she frantically flapped about then gave a shake of my head.  
“I need to go. There is no we.”  
“No, we. If I let you out of my sight again, who knows how much more of a mess you'll make this disaster.” I stared her down, staying silent as I did. She slowed down her fluttering and turned around.  
Before she could utter a word, I said, “No.” I flew off in a blink without another word. I will not stand and be insulted by some nutty fowl. They don't know what they're talking about. ‘I know things.’ Pff. Like I haven't heard that before. Make more of a mess? How much worse could it get.

I continued to fly until I came to a clearing. An past it was a field of corn. But that wasn't what caught my attention. No, instead the frozen stalks of grain captured my eye, leading further into the overgrown grass towards a town.  
“Finn. No.” As I grew closer, the plants began to shuffle. I froze as I saw a figure within grow nearer. Soon they came out with eyes in a daze before growing wide as they locked onto me.  
“Pine Tree?”


	22. Of Day

    He continued to stare, as if in a trance. His clothes, looking much like Quincy's but more blue than red, seamed dirty and unruly. With shaky limbs, he ran right out of the corn field strait to me. He then tripped and fell to the ground before me and began to cough as if in a fit. I couldn't move as my eyes laid upon the infamously wicked demon now a sniffling and horrid mess. This couldn't be him. No it couldn't. And yet there he was, trying to push himself from the soiled ground. He looked up at me again with large eyes. I was taken back by what I saw now with him closer. His clothes were torn and soiled, his cheek, neck, and exposed arm and leg were bruised and cut. His hair a mangled mess full of leaves and loose twigs. Multiple of his nails were broken and bleeding and his lip cut, dry blood cracked down his chin. But his eyes, his eyes all red around his shiny golden spheres. I felt sick as I looked at him, a broken reflection. He wasn't weak, I knew this, but here he was, beaten like a dog's chew toy.

    Once on his knees, he gave a smile and grabbed my hand. I felt a burn run down my arm, seeing the blue flames sporadically spark within it. I pulled back in furiosity, pulling Bill forward until his grasp slipped off.  
"What are you doing!?" He caught himself as his smile fell. He looked back up with soft eyes, reaching his hand out, fingers slightly twitching.  
"Come on, Pine Tree. I only need a little bit. At least enough to heal this flesh sack." I stared at his hand then at him, his face hurt and pleading.  
"Why don't you just use your powers? Or give me my body back? Then you wouldn't hurt." I knew the latter would exchange our current states. I didn't want to be in pain, but this was as good of an opportunity as any to convince him out. He just stared as his face fell like his arm.  
"You haven't noticed yet, have you?"  
"Noticed what?" He sighed as he flopped to the ground and laid on his back, staring at the clouds and clawing the grass.  
"I can't." He said, barely above a whisper.  
"Wha-"  
"I̓ͧͦ̎̚ ̉̀ͬͨ̇C̎ͤͥA͋̅̆͐ͤ͒N͗̂̓̓ͩ̀'ͤ̀͛͑T̆͌́͊͑." He closed his eyes, impaling his nails into the dirt. He took a breath and repeated more calmly, "I can't."

He took deep breaths as he covered his face, and began to laugh. It wasn't that of humor or anger, but on the edge of sadness, disbelief, and madness. Here was the most powerful being I knew, trembling before me in defeat. Perhaps in a different situation I would have been proud, glad of a scenario as Bill in such wreckage, such seeming defeat. But this was not one of those. Not at all. This was made even more true when recalling the fear he had up brung into me, down to my deepest nightmares, that it brought me disquietude to see such an abhorred manipulator of reveries in such a crude and cynical disposition of emotion, riding on his sleeve like a child lost at sea, barely holding onto their shivering arms as they slowly fall beneath the ruthless waves. What made him like this?

He can't. I didn't know which question he was answering, but I'd prefer one over the other. My hands clenched as he continued to laugh, growing quieter as he did. He then wiped his face and uncovered his still wet eyes and looked at me.  
"Neither."  
"What?" He raised his chapped hands in front of his face, looking at them, as if in longing, as he spoke.  
"I can't leave this body. I've tried and tried but I'm stuck." I stayed silent as he breathed slowly yet furiously. "Do you know what that's like? Being stuck in the mindscape and that hick town for so long. So so long. Stuck in such a small space when mere millenias ago, the multi-verse was your very own backyard. And now." He gave a huff, grinding his canines so hard I thought they'd turn to powder. "Now I'm in an even smaller prison with.. f-eelings," he spat, emphasizing the 'f' as though the friction between his teeth and lip would catch fire, burning the word from existence, "one from the body's own senses," he placed his hands on his chest, giving a small chuckle, "another I perceive to be my own, and a third.." he turned his head back and glared at me, "you."  
"Me? What a you-" he turned his head back to the sky and watched them swirl about.  
"Your emotions. I can feel them, like insects and intestinal worms, crawling and biting on my form within." He gave a hiss as he scratched behind his ear, pulling out a splintery twig. "It's hard enough dealing with one new batch of them without a second shoving in, poking at my already burning nerves." He looked back up at me with lidded eyes and a soft frown, giving a huff and snapping the stick. "Guess it was a trade."

"A trade?"  
He gave a nod, dropping the stick and flopped his arm back and lifting a single finger off the ground, pointing it at me.  
"Remember the witch's hut. The fire. You are connected to my powers and the mindscape just as I your body and this realm. As well as I to you and you to I." I watched him for a moment before shaking my head.  
"So, I'm like some demon power express route or something?"  
"Yes and no. You're kinda like a door with a lock and I.." He snapped his fingers creating a flame to burst in my chest, flickering like a candle. "the key and hand." He set his arm down again, making the little fire ball snuff out.

I watched my now empty chest before shaking my head again.  
"I don't get it. Why would you tell me all this? Wouldn't you, I don't know, exploit it somehow or something?"  
"Well, from how I see it, we're in the same boat. And I've seen a lot of sinking ships, not just water bound ones either, and it's better off for the intended or unintended crew to be on, at least, similar, if not, the same page in order to keep it afloat. At least long enough to get in an escape pod and get the heck out of there or survive with what they got." He wiped his face again and scowled. "And feeble, lucky you got omnipotent, unlucky me."

I stared as thoughts of my flaming reflection came to mind as I shook my head again. "Nu-ah. Not happening. This is not happening. I was supposed to get my body back from you, go home, and stop your plans. Not turn into some ghostfreak with demon powers!" Bill turned over, pushing himself up and off of the ground with a glare.  
"Hey, watch it. Some of us don't like to be called such a term as 'freak,' though I don't mind much." Us? "I have become accustomed to it. Especially when 'sick' is added beforehand. Now that brings up some memories. Reminds me of how much I miss human sacrifices. Just the immolation and cede of one's own kind for a being who it makes little difference to anyway. Perhaps a lesser daemon would find it more of a main course than an insignificantly small sample as it would to me. Now war was somethings else entirely, but far too messy for my tastes. Now plagues are so much more satisfying in bringing out some of the worst in people. But whatever. Things are so tame now a days with your species, I tell ya. Too tame. Sometimes it's almost a bore unless you find the right people to watch and manipulate." he said with a smile, appearing chipper again. I guess that's better? At least compared to how he was before.  
" A-nd you're back."

Just then, a scream resonated from beyond the field of corn with shots of ice spiraling into the air.  
Bill jumped and stared at the ice chunks, "Shoot, thought I lost him." before turning around and grabbing onto my arm, trying to pull me away. I stopped, forcing him to halt his flee. He turned around and glared at me.  
"What do you think you're doing!? We need to get out of here before blonde nutzy tries to strangle me again."  
"That's Finn! I can't leave him. He might be in trouble."  
"Finn?" Bill, asked, face skewed and lip tight. "The kid that you followed all night?"  
"I- Yes. How did you-"  
"He is trouble. Now let's get out of here before his banshee screams attracts something worse."  
"Like you?"  
"I'm being serious right now." He growled, eyes changing between yellow and red, his pupil swimming in a sea of orange.  
"So am I." Bill pulled me close and looked me in the eye.  
"Why do you want to help this kid so bad? What has he ever done for you?" I felt my jaw slacken to give an answer but none came. My eyes jumped between his before my mouth snapped shut and brows furrowed.  
"Why should I go with you? What have you done for me?" In less than a blink of an eye, Bill's eyes turned a furious red far more vibrant than the blood on his chin., his teeth grinding together as he stared. He took a few hissing breaths as the screaming continued. He looked to the ground as his hands gripped my upper arms so hard they'd be brushed, if there was any blood vessels to break or skin to hold in the spilling liquid.

His eyes again changed, to an indigo before going back to yellow before he looked up and loosened his grip.  
"Fine, but I'm gonna need some of this first." I raised a single brow before both shot up as an intense heat raced down my arms like they were being filled with boiling oil. I wriggled and squirmed with my eyes shut tight and lip tight between my teeth. It felt like I was being ripped from the inside out as tiny razor claws dragged their way down my arm to Bill's own hands. I cracked my eye open to see Bill's wounds heal and bruises fade, eyes glowing a monstrous blue as they smiled as wide as his mouth. A moment later he let me go, allowing me to partly fall before catching me, his light touch like a static shock in my spine. He pulled me back up as my ghostly muscles twitched and shook. I looked up at him and growled. He chuckled as he took his fingers combed out some stray twigs and brush from his locks. His eyes stayed downward, a redness still hanging on their bags. "Sorry kid, but I wasn't going back on a low battery." He flicked away the bits of nature to the forest floor before locking his arms behind his straightened back and walked into the kernel maze. "Come now, you must hurry if you don't want to him meet his melt."

I began to follow in grudge before hearing a branch snap behind me. I turned my head to spy a little blue bird, sitting with face smug, but fidgeted in nervousness. I stared at her for a moment with contorted brows before reaching down for a stone with my covered hand, throwing it at her with a huff. It missed as she flew up with a squawk. I watched as she flew away before turning around and flying towards the sounds of distress.

After a few steps in, Bill lost his upright composure and began to run. I hurried behind, just barely above the yellow and brown vegetation. Up a head the ice had stopped but the yelling had not as it echoed in the air. As we grew closer, I could see a empty area of dirt full of holes near a town just up ahead. And within that town were scarecrows frozen in ice and others.. running? Running! I would have thought them just costumes if not for the occasional skeleton with a pumpkin head or vise versa. I looked further ahead as they hurried down the road. And down that road in their grasp was a kicking and screeching Finn, no crown upon his head. As I was about to fly up and scout, Bill grabbed onto my doll and pulled me back behind a nearby building. I turned to scold him before he covered my mouth, as much as you can cover a ghost's mouth, as a pair of those undead vegetables passed by.

Once gone, I phased through his hand and spoke.  
"What!?" He shushed me as he looked round the corner before speaking back, voice hushed.  
"It may not make much of a difference for you," he said, gesturing to me, "but I can't go budging in like this."  
"Why not? He's right there. We can just go in, grab him, and leave. Easy peasy."  
"Normally I'd agree, but I don't think that'll work here. Something tells me these scarecrow wannabes aren't very friendly to outsiders." I looked at him then back around the corner, seeing a small group, coming from the hay and hole filled land with shovels and pitchforks, join the larger one, heading out of sight.  
"Okay? So what we do?" Bill turned to me and gave a chuckle. "What?"  
"Nothing. I just expected you to have five different plans ready to spin in three minutes. You're becoming impulsive. I like it." He said, "patting" me on the shoulder. Before I could reply, he put his face next to mine and pointed towards a small pile of pumpkins and hay on the other side of the road. "Wanna play dress-up?"


	23. Stole Shattered

In what felt so much longer than the mere moments that it occurred in, we, through consumes, became scarecrows. Bill, refusing to put a pumpkin on his torso, draped himself in long dried corn husks, making himself a dress that reached the ground. He then took the hay and made selves, making them long enough to cover his arms and hands. He then grabbed a pumpkin and smashed in holes for the mouth, eyes, nose, and a spot to slip his head through, which he did in disgust. The then did the same to another pumpkin, attaching long husks and hay to it as well, making it a dress and arms. He then brought it to me and shoved it in my face.  
"Possess it." He said, voice slightly echoed.   
"What?" Bill rolled his eyes, giving a soft glow from within the vegetable.  
"Just do it." He shoved it again. I grabbed and pulled it to my chest before it fell, almost hitting the ground, then looked it over in my hands. It's empty jagged eyes staring back at me as its mouth gave a silent "oh."

I looked back and asked, "How?" He pointed to the doll.  
"Think of it like a puppet" he then made a gesture of putting something over his head, "that you wear." I looked at him, the pumpkin, then him again. "You want to save frost butt or not?" I sighed and held it over my head. I looked at Bill, who only gave a nod. With a breath I slid it over. I opened my eyes to see the world through two small windows surrounded by darkness. And through them I spied Bill making another gesture of moving his hands away from the pumpkin. I gave a nod before slowly and cautiously removing my hands. A pressure let itself known from the top of my head as I stayed absolutely still, fearing it to fall through me at any moment, but it didn't. It stayed! I looked at Bill in glee to see him smile through the pumpkin's mouth.  
"You did it, kid." He then walked over and held up the sleeves of straw. "Now for the arms. Phase through them, then think of them as sleeves on a jacket." I did as he said. He then let go, and they too stayed on, following the movement of my arms. I repeated the process on the dress, giving the same result. With all of it all me, actually felt a weight, no longer just the weightlessness of air. Bill looked me over with a grin.  
"There you go. It'll be easier for you to move since you don't have any legs to think about. As long as you remember to keep the bottom of that dress on the ground, no one will notice." Bill paused and reached at or of my arms, pulling out the doll that had been on my hand, sticking out of the opening. "Can't have that showing."  
He pulled up the dress enough to slip it into his pocket, then dropped the material, letting it fall to the ground. He turned around and grabbed a handful of straw, putting it on top of each of the pumpkins. "Alright, let's go." Slightly baffled, I looked at him then at my bare hand. Now wasn't a time to argue. Though i really wanted to. I sighed as I followed.  
"Okay."

Then off we went as walking produce. We followed the iced scarecrows and scattered straw down the road, leading to a barn, from which commotion erupted. We rushed up to the ajar door. As I peaked through, I felt stiff. Scarecrow people filled my sight, surrounding a struggling tied up Finn. Each of the scarecrows spoke to one another in hushed whispers as Bill and I snuck in through the open door, speaking in worry with names and sorrow falling from their 'lips.' We slowly moved out was closer when suddenly a deep voice spoke, making us stop our movements towards Finn.  
"Hold on, everyone. Calm now." Everyone hushed, all but a gasp that fled me as a large shape behind Finn moved. Standing tall before a mountain oh hay, was a massive jack o'lantern with long husk like ropes hanging down to the ground, leaning over the fretful boy.  
"You have made some mess of our peaceful town here child. Now I don't like to jump to conclusions, but I've seen enough to know that is what you have done. But I still must ask, what is it that has brought you here? How did you end up in little Pottsfield of ours?"

Even from where I stood, I could see Finn swallow before speaking, looking at the ground between his toes in shame and sorrow. "I-I lost someone." He looked back up and stared the large pumpkin in his eye cavity. "Lost someone. A friend. Got dragged.. dragged away by.. by some bad guys. And.. and I..." he took a deep breath just as his voice cracked. "I lost it. I was angry. I was sad. I was lost." He looked around at the scarecrows standing around with deep eyes, talking I though he were speaking to each and every one personally. I felt my throat tighten as they passed over me just like all the others. Just like all the others. "I wondered into your town while in a blind fit. I-I'm sorry. If I could have gotten control over myself sooner, I.." He looked to the ground where his toes scratched at the ground. "I wouldn't have made such a mess." The scarecrows began to whisper again, giving us distraction to move closer through the crowd, trying to avoid other scarecrows glances.

The large pumpkin gave a hum, bringing up a pair of rope husks held before his face.  
"Now let me get this straight- You come to our town, entrap our people, ruin their property, disrupted our preparations for an upcoming private engagement, because you were having a fit?"  
As we grew closer, a hand of hay suddenly tapped itself on my shoulder, haulting my slow movement. "Hey." Said a voice behind me.  
"I- Yes." Said Finn as I turned to see an old looking scarecrow man attached to that arm. he looked at me for a moment before, with a gravelly voice, spoke.  
"I don't believe I've seen you about before, miss. Were you from the last batch?"  
I looked back to Bill for some backup to see that he was out of sight. Dang it. I turned back to the old scarecrow man and attempted a girl-like voice. "I.. ahem, yes. I came from.. the south?"  
"Eh, what?" He asked, holding a hearing-horn to his 'ear.' I aimed towards the horn and spoke again, slightly louder.  
"I came from the south." He slowly turned to me then gave a low "Tisk tisk." "From the south end, eh." He looked downward with a shaking head. "So many youth. A shame." He then patted my shoulder with a soft but firm touch. "Well don't worry. We take care of our own here. You won't have to deal with any of THAT ever again." Before I could ask, he turned around and walked off, leaving me stunned. What was that about?

The large pumpkin, shook his head in a slow manner. "Child, I must say that it saddens me that such circumstances as this had to occur," he stopped shaking his head and eyed Finn, "particularly because I simply have to punish you for your transgressions." My head shot up and heart began to bound in worry. Punish!? "So, by order of the Pottsfield Chamber of Commerce, I find you guilty of trespassing, destruction of property, disturbing the peace, and murder."  
Murder!?! My stomach dropped as the word reached my ears. I looked over, seeing Finn's face pale as well. "Murder?"  
The large pumpkin leaned over the shivering blonde with fixated eyes. "Well that'll depend upon the state of our frozen citizens once released." He then straightened up with authority and motioned one of his husk ropes at the boy. "Until that can be properly determined, I sentence you to release the frozen citizens and manual labor until all the damage you have rendered is undone." He suddenly leaned forward in a way that was almost menacing. "But do hear boy, if any of those people were permanently harmed in any way, you will receive a far harsher punishment that I do wish that I won't have to implement. Hear?"  
"I hear." Finn said with a nod of his head.

The large pumpkin get then straightened up with a nod of his own head.  
"Alright. Edward. Larry." Suddenly two of the scarecrows walked up to eat her side of Finn, who looked between the two feverously. "If you'd please escort the young lad to his first task."  
"Will do, Enoch." Said one as he began untying Finn as the other walked off only to return with a ball and chain. At this time, all the other scarecrows began to leave, passing by me as I snuck further in. With a click, the clasp was on his ankle as the rope pooled around his waist. He was then helped up and shown the exit, the metal ball dragging behind him ever so slowly. It was a sad sight to see. Before I could follow a hand grabbed the sleeve. I turned to see a pumpkin with glowing eyes.  
"Bill-" Immediately he shushed me before pulling me out of the barn to the side.  
"Hush, kid. These guys have better hearing than they look. Which look to be none at all."  
"Yeah, I've noticed. Where did you go?"  
"Did some thinking. It was harder next to you so I went off for a moment." I bit my cheek and hovered on the other foot.  
"Let me guess. My emotions butting in."  
"Yes." I rolled my eyes. "Anyway, when you were talking it up with grandpa, I snuck out and looked around. And doing so gave me an idea."  
"And what would that be?" I said, crossing my arms.  
Even through the hollowed vegetable, I could see his coy smile. I wasn't sure if I should've been pleased or worryful.  
"Do you want to know a game I played when I was young?"

...

I followed behind the scarecrows and Finn, dodging behind buildings and trees, as he was brought to a nearby scarecrow, frozen in time. Finn looked up at the frozen vegetable with its lifeless expression, gazing upon the horizon whilst in mid run. He stared for a moment as one of the scarecrows handed him a hammer and wedge. With gentle fingers, he grasped the tools. He looked back at the produce adorned skeleton and gave a shaky sigh. He began to chip. From behind a near tree, I held my ghostly breath, watching closely through the pumpkin's jagged eyes, almost as intensely as the two scarecrows standing behind him. He began to sweat with the feeling of eyes watching and sun beating down on him. Minutes passed as chunk by chunk fell to the ground, melting into the dirt ground with his own pools of sweat, making pools of fridges mud. It eventually covered his legs, from his feet, over his shins, to his knees from when he knelt to chip lower spots. Finn gave another swing, which gave a sudden crack. Finn halted. He looked at the ice to see the spiderweb crack when suddenly, a shadow passed over his face. He looked up in question, to see the still stiff scarecrow slowly fall from the crystal of ice. The two guards rushed over, only to fall over one another in yelps. I too felt myself ready to jump in before stopping myself, digging my nails into the side of the building. Remember the plan. Wait for the signal. Wait for the signal. Before Finn knew it, he had jumped up and caught the falling scarecrow before she could hit the ground. The sudden stop knocked off the last of the frozen ice, letting her go limp in his arms. I felt my nails dig deep into the wood of the wall that hid me, eyes wide and lip bit. She didn't move, but instead stayed limp like a rag doll. Finn looked at her with horrored and sorrowful eyes as she stayed inanimate in his arms. Lifeless. The two other scarecrows looked down on the figure, one with hands on their heart, the other with them behind his back, both heads low. No.

Then, like in a movie, she slowly stirred, her head shaking a bit with a groan.  
"M-my goodness. What in heaven-" she paused as she looked up and stared at the boy with her hand held to her cheek. I felt myself smile as I looked at the two. She's alive. I soon grew giddy as I gazed unto Finn, who too looked relieved. Which means no harsh punishment. I my smile stretched as I watched them, him holding her just as when she fell, like a tango dancer dipping his partner. It looked almost like a fairytale. My smile then fell as the word entered my mind. Fairytale. The scarecrow lady then brought her hand up to the side of Finn's face. His cheeks burned as his brows rose in surprise. I felt a growl rumble in my throat as she rubbed his cheek, my hands tingling as my phantom nails sunk further into the wood. He gave a swallow as he froze stiff, eyes, the size of saucers, locked onto her lacking ones. She then slowly pulled her hand away, causing Finn to relax slightly. SMACK! The sound seemed to echo through the air, carrying its sting with it. I and the two scarecrows flinched as Finn fell to the ground in a cloud of dust. The lady scarecrow walked over to the fallen and dazed Finn, rubbing his sore cheek, and looked down upon him.  
"That's for disturbing our peaceful town!" With a huff she turned around and stomped away, kicking up dust that flew right in Finn's face, causing him to cough. One of the scarecrows, Larry I believe, stood up and followed behind her, passing by where I hid, I slipping further behind as they did.

And there, where I had stood before, I saw burned.. handprints and claw marks in the grained, wooden wall. I looked down at my transparent hands to see the straw sleeves that once covered them burned halfway up my forearm, leaving the ends black and brittle. I sighed at them before hearing more chipping. I looked back too see Finn had already moved to the next frozen scarecrow, the other speaking to him. I quickly moved to another building closer and listened in.  
"I'd like to apologize for Marie's.. action. I don't believe she meant to harm you as she did. It's out of character for such a nice lass. She is usually quite awfully polite and courteous like a good lady should." Finn opened his mouth to speak before giving pause and looked at the scarecrows itch confused eyes before shaking his head and turning back to the frozen produce before him.  
"Thank you, but there's no need. I can understand why she did that. I mean, I wouldn't have been very happy either if I were in her shoes. I kinda deserved it, actually." He looked down at the feet of the frozen scarecrow with a saddened look. "There's a lot more that I do. A lot more." The scarecrow stared at him, then shrugged his shoulders.  
"You're a strange one, I tell ya. Very strange. Maybe even more so than those two children that passed through Pottsfield. Actually, they were the first ever to just "pass through" if you'd call it that." Finn looked up in curiosity just as I did, interests peaked.  
"What children?" Finn asked, setting down his tools. The scarecrow looked off in the distance and rubbed his chin.  
"Well I never properly met them, but they came through during my harvest. Dug me and Jerry there right out from out of the field." He said, pointing towards the hole filled field. "It was quite a number of harvests ago. Gee, I can't even remember how long. It was at least two baker's batches worth of harvests. Maybe three. Anyway, from what I heard from those that had seen the whole thing, two boys came to town and broke a handful of rules."  
"Like what?"  
"Oh, trespassing and what not. But..." The scarecrow paused then placed his hands on his hips. "Actually, now when I think about it. I don't think those two were very strange at all. Just a couple of rule breakers, though they did their time just fine if I remember correctly." The scarecrow looked down at Finn and shook his head. "Kinda like you should be doing right now." Finn hurriedly picked up his tools in, turned back to the ice, and quickly got back to work.  
"Sorry."

...

Time passed and there was still no sign of Bill's signal. I was becoming anxious as I waited behind a tree, watching Finn, now on the final frozen scarecrow. And this was growing more and more difficult. To say the least, Finn wasn't looking so hot. With each minute and scarecrow released, Finn grew worse and worse, now not looking so good. He was sweating a storm, dripping off the end of his pointed nose, which wouldn't stop running, causing him to constantly sniffle, he was getting large red bags under his eyes, and his skin was looking paler than printing paper. His cheeks, though, where red form the amount of slaps he had received, indirectly leaving scorched handprints about as well. I really hoped Bill would hurry, because I didn't think Finn would last much longer, nor all the walls and trees that met my combustible hands. I suddenly heard the sound of footsteps, more reminiscent to straw broom-ends being squashed into the ground, grow near. I ducked as I saw one of the scarecrows from before walk up to the other standing what he over the sickly boy with worrisome whispers as they glanced at him.  
"What do you think's wrong with the fella?" The other turned and shook his head.  
"I don't know. He looks near worse than we did in that awful drought. Or even when-" The other crossed his arms and leaned forward in a protective manner.  
"Oh, please don't bring up such horrible memories."  
"I apologize for doing so. That was not my intention." The first said, holding his arms out.  
"I thank you kindly for your true resentment. But back to the matter at hand. What do you suppose we do? We haven't had to cure such illness since our own flesh was upon us, and the last time was truly the last time, so long ago." The one tapped his chin and looked to the sky.  
"Well, we have had travelers before. Ones still early. Perchance we could ask for their aid?" The other tapped his foot with hips under his hands.  
"No, that was several harvests ago. We couldn't track them down if we could. And by the time we did and maybe found one, it may be too late."  
"Hmm. Perhaps Enoch will know."  
"Perhaps." Said the other, just as the last scarecrow fell from her frozen prison, Finn barely catching it a mere pinkie's length from the ground. The fallen scarecrow turned to hit him only to halt once getting a look at him. She then quickly got up, giving a pitying glance before hurrying away. The one that had apologized before had grown quiet after so many had slapped the boy. He stayed there and buried his face into the ground, his breath shallow and coarse.

As the two scarecrows walked over to Finn. A sudden pain prick my finger, making me hiss. Finally. With readjustment to my mask, I walked out and headed towards the two helping Finn up. Once there, I took a breath and cleared my throat. The two stopped and turned around. Once spotting me, the nodded their heads in greeting, one letting Finn use him as a crutch, and the other holding his ball and chain.  
"Good evening, mam." One said, who then gave a tilt of his head looking me over. "You don't look familiar. What's your name?" I shifted from foot to foot.   
"I'm Di-Deloris." I said in a girlish voice. The scarecrow looked me over then shook his head.  
"Can't say I recognize ya. Were you, perhaps, from the last harvest?"  
"Uh. From the south.. end of the field?"  
"Yes. With the large batch. Such a crowd. Oh, there were so many youths. A shame. Well, it's nice to meet ya. The name's Edward. And there is Larry."  
"Miss." Said the other scarecrow, also giving a nod.

They then slowly began to walk with Finn, who had his face towards the ground, I following. "What are you doing round here? Shouldn't you be with the other ladies making and gathering garments for the celebration?" Something about how that stung me but I pushed it down.  
"They had an abundance of help. Plus I got a feeling telling me I needed to come over here. And by the looks of it, it was right." I said, gesturing to Finn's current state, rubbing my sore finger. The two scarecrows looked at eachother then back at me, who felt like I was going to get my cover blown at any second.  
"Alright. Mind getting his other side? Help bring him to Enoch." My shoulders fell in relief.  
"No. Not at all." I said, pulling his other arm over my shoulder. As I did, Finn glanced up at me with tired eyes that squinted. His eyes then met mine, growing wide as they did.  
"Dipper?" He asked, voice gravely and weak. The scarecrow gave pause and looked at the other scarecrow then me.  
"Deloris do you know him?" I felt a sweat drip down my brow. Again, something that bewilders me as something a ghost can do.  
"W-well, I saw him at the trial. I think he's asking for a drink from a ladle. He may be parched." I said, giving some concentration to my hand and gave Finn's own limp one a squeeze. Finn continued to look at me in confusion but returned the squeeze.  
"Well I'd say so. But let's get him to Enoch first. Let him take a look. He still knowledge of the flesh that the rest of us have forgotten."  
"O-kay." I replied, befuddled.

The barn building came to view when I felt another prick. I halted, stopping the other three's movement. Larry turned to me in haste.  
"What's wrong?"  
I hushed them, letting go of Finn, who looked at me perplexed. "I hear them."  
"Hear who?" Asked Edward, looking around.  
I motioned for them to lean forward, which they did, and I whispered in my own voice. "The Plague." As they looked at me startled, I reached forward, grabbed their hands, and pulled them so forceful that they lost a grip on Finn and his ball and chain. Finn looked up at me to see me wink at him and nod towards the woods. He continued to stare before nodding back, picking up his ball and chain, and ran. As he did, the scarecrows tried to pull away and chase after, but my grip was too strong to slip out of. Oddly enough, this thought made me smile. Then I began to spin. Spin and sing.  
"Ring around the rosy." As I spun, the straw and husks began to fall off and fly through the air.  
"Pocket full of posy." The scarecrows looked up and gasped and yelped as they were spun, the burned sleeves, hair, and dress vanished from my disguise.  
"Ashes." Soon there was nothing but the pumpkin on my head. I wondered how that looked to them, essentially a decapitated head floating on empty air.  
"Ashes." I gave a final hard spin before letting them go, sending them through the air until they collapsed to the ground.  
"They all fall down." I ended with a giggle. That was oddly satisfying. As I pulled off the pumpkin head and dropped it to the ground with a slat, one of the scarecrows stood up, his pumpkin cracked from his jaw to his mouth, and torso pumpkin squashed in the back. He turned to the other, whose jack o'lantern face broken, exposing his bony skull.  
"Go get Enoch and report this-" he said pointing directly at my invisible form. "-poltergeist." The other did as told while I started at his aimed finger, then his hollow eyes that were focused on me.  
"You can see me?" He then stood up and tried to grab at me. I dodged then flew away into the trees.  
"Get back here!" He yelled at me, stopping just before the forest line.  
"Um. No thank you." I yelled back.  
"Get out of there! Get out now!" He yelled again, growing more distant as I flew. I rolled my eyes flew deeper.

I stopped and looked around.  
"Now where are th-" Suddenly, I heard screaming. I turned towards the source and flew towards it. And in the clearing, I spied Finn lying on his stomach yelling, thrashing his legs and arms about as Bill, still in his husk dress with pumpkin head smashed on the ground, sat calmly on his back, inspecting his no longer broken fingernails.  
"Get off. Get off! GET OFF!" Finn screeched, clawing at the ground.  
"How about.. no. No. No." He replied, looking over his other hand.  
"Get. Off. And. Give. It. Back." He cried again, trying to crawl to a nearby tree. I looked at it, then up to see the crown stuck, high in the branches. Bill sighed before moving so his butt was on Finn's shoulders, putting his chin into the dirt.  
"No. Children who throw tantrums need to be disciplined. So..." He turned, raised both of his arm, and began to send them barreling down.

"Bill." I called, floating into the clearing. Bill stopped and looked at me with a smile. "Well, hey there, Pine Tree. I was wondering when you'd get here." He said, raising his arms up again and slammed them down, effectively swatting Finn's behind. Finn yelped and tried even harder to escape from beneath the demon's tookish.  
"Getoffgetoffgetoffgetoff!"  
"Are you gonna try to hit me again?"  
"Yes. And I'll get you right in the kisser." Bill raised one hand and swatted him again.  
"Wrong answer."  
"Glob it. Glob it. Glob it!" He yelled before going into a fit of coughs.  
"Will you two stop it? Do I have to be the mature one here?"  
"No and probably." Bill said in an almost bored tone. Finn looked over with a scowl before immediately softening once spotting me.  
"Dipper! Help me get this glarb off, beat him out of your body, and then let's get out of here." Bill turned around and swatted him on the head.  
"Not happening, kid."  
"Oh, it is so happe-" Finn began before coughing so hard I thought he'd lose a lung.  
"Geez, trying to lose a lung there. Try a little harder and you might just do it." Apparently, I wasn't the only one.  
"Bill." I scolded.  
"What?" He asked, shrugging his shoulders. "I've seen people do it."  
"Bill, get off." Bill folded his arms and gave a huff.  
"Not until he guarantees that he won't try to beat me again." Finn raised his arm and effectively hit his toe, causing Bill to yelp, who grabbed it and began to rub it.  
"And I won't if you do any fishy business, and you have to get off, and gives me my crown back." Bill glared down at the blonde boy.  
"Not unless you promise to not use your powers on me and get as far away from Pine Tree and I as possible. Preferably dimension 34."  
"Bill." Bill rolled his eyes and put his foot on the ground. "Okay, you can stay in this dimension, but that's it."  
"Ahem." I coughed, staring at Bill.  
"This galaxy." I shook my my head, making Bill's brows furrow. "This nebula." I shook my head. "This solar system." I shook my head. "Three planets over." I shook my head. Bill growled and crossed his arms. "Two planets over."  
"He's coming with us." Bill repetitively shook his head in dissatisfaction.  
"Na-uh. No way. Absolutely not. I refuse. Do you not remember that split lip? Gee. I don't even think you saw all the ice blasts he almost froze me with." Bill emphasized, pointing at his now healed lip.  
"If you would have stopped moving, I wouldn't have needed to keep shooting." Bill slapped Finn upside the head again, receiving an "Ow." from the pinned boy.  
"If you would have made your mark, I might have gone into hypothermia again!"  
"Ahem." I coughed, receiving Bill's attention as Finn continues do to rub his abused head. "Do you not remember all twenty seven of the fork marks you left along my arms? All the bruising you left on my body? I was sore for days! You got healed in a matter of seconds. Or what about earlier when you pulled me through thin air and knocked me out." I replied, pointing at him. He opened his mouth before shutting it with a harsh click, glaring at me. He then thrust his hands into the air in like a defeated child.  
"Fine. And he can travel with us. But he has to be away from you."  
"Oh no. I have to stay between you two to keep any fights from breaking out. I've been around both of you long enough to know how well you'll get along." I said, looking over both of them, both now looking back at me. "And that's a dwindling chance in the first place."  
"There was a chance?" Bill asked. I flew over and smacked him on the head for his sass.  
"Yeah! Get him Dipper!" Bill turned back and smacked Finn again.  
"Don't talk to him."  
"You don't have a say in who I let talk to me or not." I said, smacking him again.

"F҉̷̶ìn҉al̡̡ly̸ ̸͝f̸̧o̷҉u̸n͡d ̡y̷o̶͢u͡͝." A deep voice spoke. We all stopped and looked over to see a pair of white lights in the shadows of the brush.

"So, anyone up for a run and discussing matters later?" Asked Bill with a strained wide smile.  
"Agreed." said Finn and I in unison.


	24. Slumber Deep

We jumped from our sitting and, like a pack of rats, scurried. I led the fleet with Bill right behind and Finn barely trudging along the back. Bill looked back and gave a hiss.  
“Can't we just leave him behind and let old branch butt gnaw on him?”  
“No.”  
“Come on. He doesn't even have his powers. He's just dead weight.”  
“You know I can hea-” Finn said as he tripped over a branch and fell into a coughing fit where he landed. I stopped and turned around. Bill too stopped and gave a groan.  
“Come on! Just leave him and let's get out of dodge.”  
“No.” Bill, about to argue stopped with a slack jaw and wide eyes.  
“Dip- Pine Tree, get away N̍͒ͨ̇̈͛Oͮͫ̚W͋̂͛͊͆̚!”  
“No. I'm not leaving without-” Just as I reached Finn, who was trying to push himself up, a branch suddenly wrapped tightly around his ankle.  
“D-Dipper?!” He cried in a voice choked, eyes wide and full of fear as he was quickly dragged into a nearby shrub, vanishing from sight. The shrub shook and trembled before coming to a silent stop. With a heft of breath, I flew to it before halting as a figure sprung up from behind. It stood tall above me, casting a shadow so dark it was nearly black. In fact, he was black, like a living shadow. And there, in the darkness of its face were a pair of those intense white eyes, staring directly at me. It was him. The boy. The Beast. Just as suddenly as he appeared, he was gone in a blink of an eye. I quickly headed for the shrub. And on the other side I saw only a branch with a piece of cloth from Finn’s already torn pants.  
“Finn?” I whispered, emotion filling me.  
Then I heard a scream behind me as a tightening pain surrounded my wrists. I spun around to see Bill being held up in the air, both wrists in one clawed hand and a lantern in the other.  
“This is well beyond my tolerance limit. Far beyond it, I say.” Bill yelled, kicking and wriggling to no avail. His eyes turned red as he tried to bite at the silhouet. With indifferent eyes, the clawed hand began to grow sprouts, wrapping around the struggling Bill, the sensation crawling across my own ghostly skin. “Stop. Release me a͗́t͐̍ͤ̏ ͋ͨ͌͋ȌNͥ̌Ć̂͋͛̈́͒̐E̎̋̆!” With building anger, I felt a heat rush into my core and through my limbs. Bill immediately looked over and began to shake as his eyes turned yellow, the branches still growing on him. “Rͧ̓͒͂ͧun̎͌̅̃̉̔ͧ. ͑Getͮ͆̑̿͆ ̊ͫͣo̅ͬ̑ͭ̀̚ú̌̽̅̎̑t͒̇̎͑́̏ ̓̅o̓̍fͤ̓ͨͣͬ ̏ͯͪhͬ̏̀̽ͧ̚e̔̅͛̏ͨr̈́̓̏̓eͭ̿͑͒ͨ͗.” The Beast looked over and froze. I could only imagine the fiery horror he was witnessing, like when looked at my own reflection a time ago, but I didn't care. I didn't care that I looked this way. I wanted him to b͕̳̮̺͓͌͂ư̖̳̗̱ͯr̖̻͔̎̄͋ͩ͛ͨnͤͫ͟. With cupped hands, I barely willed them to catch fire only for them to combust into raging infernos. I wanted him to burn. The Beast’s eye then turned gleeful as he turned towards me.  
Bill, still in hand, getting more and more wrapped in branches, looked between me and the Beast, closed his eyes, twisted his wrist, and gave a single snap of his constricted hand.

And like that, the flames extinguished and the boiling heat within me cooled. I looked, with wide eyes, between my empty hands and chest. I glared back up at Bill and yelled,  
“What are you doing?!”  
“Saving the both of us.” Now he was the delusional one!  
“Saving?! I was doing the saving until you-”  
“Stopped you from making a horrible mista-” Just then, a branch grew over Bill’s mouth, shutting him up. Bill tried to yell only to be muffled by the spreading wood as he renewed his efforts for escape. The Beast then, detaching the wrapped branches, threw the wiggling body against a tree, sending the doll from his pocket to the ground and effectively knocking him out with a painful grunt. I felt the throb hit the back of my head, putting me into a daze as I looked down at my sleeping reflection, that had instinctively curled in on itself like a defenseless child, for at that moment, that was all he was. The Beast turned fully towards me with smiling eyes. I suddenly grew cold and unsettled beneath his stare. Bill cutting off his powers left me defenseless. Without a body or an aid of someone else, in this form, I was weak. I couldn't beat him. I turned to make a retreat only to feel myself stop. I looked back to see him holding the lantern before him, it's glass door open. And like wind through a straw, I was sucked back towards the small container. I tried to fly against it only to fail as I was pulled in with the opening closing behind me.

Once in, my spiritual body spun through the empty space from head to heels and over again. With the rowing of my arms and kicking of my feet, I soon stabled myself. I looked around at the metallic walls and spotted the door. I flew over and peered through the smudged glass. From there I could spy Bill being picked up, limp like a wet noodle covered in branches like wooden snakes. I felt a shiver run down my spine as I gazed upon the bony hand that did this. With a sudden turn, he was moved out of sight. I looked at the glass then my hands and tried to push through. And I tried again. And again. But to no avail. I looked out again to see him nearing a tree. I began pounding on the glass and screaming at it in hopes my voice would sound through.  
“Let me out and let. Us. Go!” The Beast stopped, causing the lantern to swing slightly, which felt like the whole world was tipping back and forth from within. In a moment, a abrupt array of green, yellow, and red starred in, almost overtaking the whole window. Started, I jumped back, holding my hands in front of my chest and knees slightly raised. I stayed like this as I felt that single eye observe me closely, then looked behind me for a moment before fading from view. After a few breaths I flew back to the window to see it above the forest floor as it grew further away. I looked up and there I saw, in the Beast’s grasp, was the crown Bill had thrown up, or I assume he did, there. As he turned it over, inspecting it, a beam of light hit the big gem, sending a ray of light shining into my eyes, blinding me.  
I flew back as I rubbed my eyes, the color of red dancing behind my lids.  
“Gah! That smarts.” Then, I felt a gentle tap on my back.  
“Hello.” I turned my head and peered out of one eye to see nothing but a blur. I rubbed my eyes a bit more and looked again to see a flickering light of yellow in the center, but nothing else.  
“Hi there.” Said the voice again. I then looked down to surprisingly see a young boy who looked about Gideon's age. He had a white, long sleeve shirt, a pair of strings hanging from his collar, green overalls, and what I think were, stockings. He was short with a round face, button nose, and big eyes, which were staring right up at me. But what really caught my eye was the kettle sitting upside down atop his messy brown hair. He looked just like the doll from the tavern. “Are you okay?” I blinked a few times before looking back down at him.  
“I- Yeah. Hey, do you know how to get out of here?”  
“Here?” Repeated the boy, putting his hands on his hips. “Why the Unknown, silly willy.”  
“The Un- you mean in this lantern?”  
The boy then shook his head with a smile. “No. No. No.” As he said this, trees grew from the light below and ground filled in the space below my feet. Suddenly I fell to the ground on my chest, with an “ooft” as the boy on his feet. He then spread his arms out and spun in a circle. “The woods and anything within and beyond is the Unknown.”  
I sat up and rubbed my chest, I left my hand to the ground, feeling the dirt beneath. “So, everything.” The boy stopped spinning and put a finger to his chin.  
“Well technically yes because there's always something you don't know, even with things you do know.” He then pulled out a rock painted with a face that stuck out its tongue and held it in the air. “And that's a rock fact.” He then put it away and put his hands back on his hips. “But if you're asking about destination, then these woods are the place.”  
“For the Unknown.”  
“Yeeeep.” He said, rocking back and forth from his heels to his toes  
“Ah.” I said pushing myself up before wiggling my toes in the dirt, looking at them. It was so.. weird to stand on my own two feet again and feel between them. I kinda miss that old pebble that always wound up in my shoe.

Then in my peripheral vision, I saw a hand appear. I looked up to see the boy standing close with his arm outstretched.  
“I don't think we properly introduced yet.” He then pointed his thumb at himself, his other hand on his hip, with a big smile. “I'm Greg.”  
“I- uh- Hi.” I replied, pinching my nail. “I'm Dipper.” Greg then gave a contemplative look.  
“Dipper huh? Well, it's a neat name for a neat buddy o’ mine.” He said, smiling again.  
“Wait, buddy? Don't you think being pals with a stranger on first introduction a little odd. Dangerous even.”  
“Nope. You're not a bad guy, just make bad decisions.”  
“Wait, how would you-” I placed my hand on my forehead and shook my head. “Nevermind. Now how do I get out of here?”  
“The Unknown?”  
“No the lanter-” I looked up and stared wide eyed at the boy. “You know how to get out of these woo-” Greg’s brows furrowed as he turned around and crossed his arms. As he did, the trees grew darker and branches more gangly, almost hand-like.  
“So you want to leave. Is that it?” Black liquid began spilling from the bark, dripping onto the dying grass and cracking leaves.  
“What the-” I looked around bewildered at the sight before me.  
“Leave my brother all alone?” I looked over at him to see all the earth, but where he stood, begin to crumble away.  
“All alone again.” Then the black liquid bursts into trails of yellow flames.  
“Wh-what's going on?!” I streamed as the ground began breaking away under my feet. I looked over, seeing the flames growing closer and closer to the sources of the black liquid. I turned back and saw Greg’s back and hands clung on each arm.  
“I-I-I-I’m not l-leaving your brother alone.” The flames lowered and the boy peeked his eye over his shoulder.  
“Promise?” The ground gave another shudder under my feet, making me stumble.  
“P-promise!” And just like that, the fire stopped, the ground came back, the black liquid went back to the trees, the trees went back to normal, the grass and leaves grew back lush and full. With feet firmly on the ground I looked at him. As I did, he spun around with a big smile on his face, staring at me with his big eyes while I felt my own face fall. What did I just do? What did I just do!? You'd think I'd learn but noooo, I gotta be tricked by this little dingus.  
“Okie Dokie, artichokey.” He said, swinging his arms back and forth. I groaned as I dived my face into my hands shamefully.  
“Alright, so where is your brother?” I asked, looking around.  
“Oh, he's not fully in here.” Greg said with a laugh. I looked at him in condition before he pointed behind me. I looked back to see the glass window before looking back. “Wirt's out there.” That name sounded.. familiar. But from where?  
“Wirt?”  
“That's my brother’s name.” The boy said in cheer. I stared at him and thought harder. Then as I peered at the kettle upon his head. The kettle? The doll! The tavern.  
“The pilgrim!?”  
“Well, I guess you can call him that. It's better than what most people call him. But they just don't really know the situation.” Greg then hopped onto a stone on one foot and spread his arms out wide. “But you could understand him. He can't push you away like everyone else.”  
“Okay? Because I'm a ghost?”  
“Yes.” Greg said, hopping onto the other foot. “Can't push a ghosty because his hands will go straight through.” I pinched the bridge of my nose and gave a sigh.  
“Okay. So who is your brother again?” He slowly put down his other foot and stared at me.  
“He’s Wirt.”  
“No I mean.. I've heard his name a few times but I haven't seen him before.” Greg closed his eyes and shook his head, still smiling.  
“You've seen him before.”  
I slowly shook my own head once Greg opened his eyes. He then spread his arms wide and squatted down. “He has a blue cape, like a superhero.” Instantly Finn when he was flying through the air came to thought. I then kicked the idea from my mind. Finn wouldn't have a brother. Would he? And his name isn't Wirt in the first place. Unless he lied. “His head comes to a point-” Point? Bill?! No. Bill absolutely could not have a brother or family of any kind, especially not human. … Right? And his name isn't.. Actually, I couldn't even say if Bill’s real name is Bill. A trickster is a trickster after all. “-when he wears his hat.” When he wears his hat? Seeing my confusion, the boy stood tall with his hands raised high. “He looks like a gnome when he wears it.” Like a gnome? ‘...forest druid gnome…’ My eyes widened before I quickly knelt down to the boy’s level.  
“Does he have branches that stick out of the sides of his head?”  
Greg then turned his head down, put his hands behind his back, and began drawing circles with the toe of his foot. “Yeah, but don't talk to him about them. Okay? He tries really hard to be a good brother, but he needs some help.” All I could do was stare at the child before me. The brother of the Beast. I could feel my fingers twitch and legs shake readying to run. I wanted away.

Suddenly the boy looked up, gazing behind me. He gave a smile and pointed.  
“We’re home.” I turned around and to my surprise, I saw nothing but darkness through the blurred glass. I stood and walked closer to the glass, to try to get a clearer view. “Here, I got it.” Said Greg, who was suddenly next to me, making me jump. Paying no mind, he began wiping at the glass. As he did, the entire class became clearer and clearer until it was as crystal as water. “There. This darn thing is always getting smudged. Smudged. Smudged. Smudged.” I watched him for a moment before looking out. With the lantern the only thing giving light, I could see we were in a dark room, but not much else beyond the beam of light. Within, I could see the wooden floor, covered in dust, scratches, and occasional burn mark. The far wall having jade colored wood paneling halfway up the wall, where the upper half, once white, but had since turned beige over time, covered in a pattern of small groups of four green almond shaped spots. And on that floor next to that wall, was a small pile of branches and sticks by larger pieces of firewood sitting beside a dark, ash filled fireplace, a fire-grate, bucket, scoop, broom, and fire pick put to the side. Suddenly the view changed, showing a table full of papers, open books, ink and quill pens, a small bookshelf overflowing with more books and papers, a knife on top, a clarinet and tuba, and several chairs. One was full of blankets and quilts, another, had a shirt and trousers hanging off the back, a third and fourth sat empty. He moved closer and put the lantern on one of the empty chairs. I looked down at the seat and saw rings worn into the wood. Did he always put the lantern here? I looked over at Greg, who still had his eyes glued to the glass. How long had he been in here? I then heard footsteps, which brought my attention back outside. There I saw the beast walk toward the far side of the room, to which I saw red fainting couch, his back looking fairly slouched and lumpy. He then dropped two figures down onto the couch. He looked down at the dark shapes before turning to the fire place. He grabbed the bucket, scoop, and broom and began removing the pile of ash. After a bit he put it aside and moved over to the fire wood. He put in a few quarter logs then grabbed a flint and steel. He scraped the two together, making sparks fly, until the wood slowly caught on fire. He leaned down and gently breathed on it until it grew to a reasonable size. He moved and pulled the fire grate in front of the gentle flame before standing up, grabbing the bucket of ash, and walked out of sight, the shut if the door sounding his leave. As he left I looked closer at the figures, the fire casting a brighter light in them. And I gasped.

Bill and Finn. There they were, limp and lifeless, wrapped and covered in knotted branches. I held my breath as I stared at them with hands over my mouth. No. I felt a coldness emptied me of warmth, shaking my very limbs in its bitterness. Then Finn gave a raspy cough and Bill a shuttering breath, still as unconscious as a pair of carrots. I let go of my breath and clutched my chest, relief filling me. I then got an uncomfortable feeling at my side. I looked over and saw Greg staring at me. He continued to for a moment before looking back. I then heard the sound of a door shutting and shoe soles clicking against the hardwood. As I looked back, I saw him go over to the fireplace and set the bucket down with a clank, a few small clumps of ash getting knocked off and fell to the ground. He walked over to the two and stared down at them before turning around and walking towards us, out of sight, then walked back. I felt my ghostly heart stop as a shining blade caught my eye. I began pounding, screaming and screaming, fruitily hoping to be heard. The Beast paused for a moment before going back towards them. I pounded harder, clawing at the glass, leaving not a mark. He leaned in close, his shadow falling over the two, and sliced, halting my growing attempts. He tracked down with his other hand and began pulling and ripping, continuing to cut at their sleeping bodies. I was going to be sick, seeing him, that, pulling out their internal organs. It was disgusti- before I could finish the thought, he backed away no longer overshadowing them. And.. they were fine. There was no blood or spilling organs as I was imagining. All there was were scrapes and scratches from the unruly branches. Speaking of which. I looked over at the tall figure, who was snapping the twigs and putting them in the pile amongst the other small limbs.

Once he was done, he turned to look at the two again, a hand wrapping around his waist and the other at his chin, tapping it with his fingers. He then gave a snap and moved over to the table. At the low point where the lantern sat, I could not see what he found within the mess upon the dead wood. He then lifted the item and peered at it. I felt my brows furrowed as it came to sight. It was an old saw, the handle well worn and blade splattered black. What would he be doing with a- again before I could complete my thought, he grabbed one of his antlers and brought up the saw. With an inhale and closing eyes, he began to run the tool back and forth against the rough wood. His teeth clenched tight as he hissed between them, moving the blade faster and faster. His closed eyes began to leak tears as a black substance dripped off the edge of the blade. Soon enough, the antler was cut off, leaving just a stump against his skull, spilling black liquid down the side of his face. He took a breath as he set down the blackening wood and began on the other. The process was the same, this time leaving him panting. His eyes opened half mass, his eyes changing from color to gentle hazel eyes back to color in an instant. He went and grabbed the other branch and quickly left the room.

I stood there stunned and more confused and curious than I had began. Questions, old and new, flittered in my head quicker than I could comprehend them. And then those eyes.. changed. Like Finn’s when- Soon I had to force myself to stop as a headache began to come on. I placed my hands on my forehead, rubbing my palms into it. I then strange feeling on my side arose again. I looked over and, again, saw Greg staring at me with big eyes.  
“Did you see him?”  
“Who?” He continued to stare, face unchanged and oddly unreadable. I raised a single brow, rubbing one hand against my forehead, the headache slowly subsiding.  
“Wirt?” The boy gave a wide smile that reached his eyes.  
“I knew I made a good choice.” Before I could question him, he grabbed my hand and pulled me down then placed a hand on the back of my neck. The kid was stronger than he looked.  
“What are you-” I began before getting cut off by my own scream. A burning sensation enveloped my nape. I tried to shake him off and pull away, but he kept hold. And then he stopped. He let go, causing me to tumble. Once on my butt, I began kicking back, trying to get away from my most recent inflictor of pain. “W-w-what was that for?” I reached the back of my neck, feeling raised flesh against my fingertips. I brought them to my face, seeing nothing, before putting them back, feeling the mark again. “What did you do?!” The boy smiled but did not say a word, instead he stuck out his hand as though he were holding something between his thumb and his index finger, giving his wrist a shake as though he were ringing a bell. I looked at him with knitted brows and narrowed eyes. The boy rolled his own, placing his hands on his hips, and shaking his head with a smile.  
“It's a seed.” I continued to gawk at him, still trying to soothe the throbbing pain with my hand.  
“A what?”

The boy was opening his mouth, and stopped suddenly, looked out the glass then pointed.  
“What my brother’s giving your friends.” At that, I shot up and looked. He was back, bandages around each nub, holding two small jars of that black liquid, almost spilling over with each step, and an empty bucket at the crook of his elbow. He set them down ever so gently next to the couch. He kneeled down and looked at the two. Even from here, I could see his hands shake as he removed Finn’s cap, letting a long flowing mane fall flowing until it hit the cautions he sat on. Had he ever cut his hair before?! Equally shocked, stared at it for a moment before shaking his head. He then went and carefully moved each if their hair away from their necks, and folded down Bill’s shirt collar. He gave a swallow before grabbing the jars. With a hand above the bucket, he poured the liquid, just enough to coat the palm of his hand, he then did the same to the other hand, leaving a black print on the jar. He turned back to the unconscious bodies, rubbing his hands together. He took a deep breath and reached his hands out, hovering them over rack of their napes. He released his held breath with closed eyes and put them on. And immediately, they screamed. Their voices range in burning agony as their eyes shot up to the ceiling where the smoke from where the hands met their necks rose. I couldn't stand it. I couldn't stand the sound. I couldn't stand the sight. But I couldn't will myself look away or plug my ears as they felt like they were burning themselves. It was just so.. addictive. As their muscles began to spasm, he finally let go. They all collapsed in panting breath, necks and hands still emitting smoke.

Slowly they began to stir, giving hisses and groans. Bill pushed himself up, rubbing his neck and crack open his eye. He froze at the body lying before him. Before I could process it, Bill had jumped on top of the dazed boy, pinning him down. He let out a growl as the boy tried to push himself up, digging his shoulders into the hard floor below him. The boy blinked hard as he stared up with his hazel eyes at the steamin demon above him, eyes blood red. At the sound, Finn’s head shot up before his eyes locked onto the two, growing wide.  
“Don't you ever toͨͭ̆͑u̍̐ͥc̄h͒͛̎ m̍͌͒ͧê̎ͮ͆̓̉ͫ! Eͨ̔ͭͧ͛͌̑̆̓v̂ͧ͆ͤë́ͬͪ̍͛͛ͩ͌̈͗̍͌͋̏͂̚r̆̄ͩ̊ͣ̃!” Bill screamed, digging his nails into the boy’s shoulders. The boy flinched, shutting his eyes tire with a whimper, shaking, before suddenly going lax. He reopened his eye to show an array of colors that looked upon the ferocious demon above him in seeming boredom.  
“I ̛wòu͟l͠dn͡'t͡ of̢ ̸hád t͜ǫ ̷if̡ ͡yo͘u ͡h͠ad no͞t b͠een̶ ̛a thre͢a͘t̴.” He said calmly in a voice cold and lifeless. Bill gave another growl and slammed his shoulders into the wood again, slamming his head in the process, making him wince.  
“A t͗ͭͭh͊̔͊r̒e͐̑a̒ͥ̂͛ͧt̎́͊̉̋̃̚ to w̐͗̂̑͆ͭhͧͫ̑ͥ̒åͮ̆̉ͦ̓t̓̉̑͋̃͛̚?!” The boy slowly opened his now moist hazel eyes.  
“The Unknown and its residents.” He choked, his voice cracking body tense. He blinked again, eyes turning to colors and body again going lax.  
“We did ǹͤ͂ͥ̿ô͛t̾̓̿̏hͥïͩͥ̒ͫn͛̔́̃ͭͨ͒g to them.”  
“Tha͘t͜ ͡i͘s a ̷l͟ie.” He said, voice calm again. “I̷ have͜ seen̨ ̡it, ̕a̴n͠d҉ ̡I k̛now̶ w̢ha̡t̶ ỳo͏ù a͢re ͝c̢apa͝b̷l͠e of͞. I͝ can̡ ̡no͟t al̡lo̢w͝ y͝ou͏ ͟to ̴w̢oǹde̷r̢ ab͡o͝ut t̛ḩis d͢omain.” Bill tightened his grip on the boy’s collar and pulled him up until he was huffing in his face.

As Bill was opening his mouth, a hoarse cough erupted from behind him. He looked back and froze as he laid his yellow eyes on the weakly sick boy, almost choking on his tongue, behind him, eyes moist and puffy, lips chapped and red, cheeks fully flushed and hair cascading around him in a golden waterfall. While Bill was staring, he didn't notice the boy below pull his legs under him and kick him in the gut, sending him off. He stood back up only for Bill to tackle him. Finn then quickly stood only to trip immediately after. While they rolled across the floor, an object rolled out of Wirt’s cape. As Finn was picking himself up, the object caught the core or of his eye, looked at it and gasped. His crown. He glanced at the two and made a dash for it. Wirt, hearing the sound of feet, looked up and groaned.  
He kicked off Bill again and yelled, “Stop!” And like that the two fell to the ground like puppets who had just had their strings cut. Wirt stood up and dusted his pants before walking over to the crown, just beyond Finn’s unmoving fingertips. Picking it up, he looked at it then at Finn questionably before going over and placing it upon the mantle. He turned around and let his cape close around him like a funnel, leaving only his shins exposed below the fabric.  
“S̵t͞a͏nd̡.” As ordered, both stood, Finn’s face flabbergasted and Bill’s seething.  
“͏W͝a̛l͝k͢.” Each of them moved in synch, going back to the couch. Finn opened his mouth to speak, but not a sound came out, leaving him having like a suffocating flounder, as Bill continued his scowl, deepening it with each step.  
“S͟i͘t͝.” And with that, they sat. Finn's eyes darted around the room in astonishment and fear as Bill’s eyes burned holes into Wirt’s skull, metaphorically speaking. Wirt, looking them over, gave a head nod then went and retrieved an empty chair. He set it down before them before sitting down himself, back tall and straight as his hands rested on his knees in closed fists.

“L̢i̧s͡t͝ęņ.” He took in a deep breath through his nose and released it through his mouth. “I ̵ḑo n̨ot ̨kno҉w fo̸r ͏w̴h͟er̵e ͡you̡ ca͘me fŕom̴, ̀b̕ut w͟her͡ev͡er̢ ́it ҉i̢s̸,̡ i̵t is̨ n͏o̡t l̴ike ͡how ̧it is h͟e̷r̷e. ̵T͞h̵i͢s̵ i̡s ̵a ver̕y̵ d͞eli͡cat͜e pĺa͏ce, ́especi̢ally ̀at̴ t͝he͏ ́mo̢ment, a̸nd y͢o̷u̶r r͢ecȩn͝t.. acti̴v̕it͝y̵ ha̸ş ̷b͏ée͠n̢ c̢ausing͡ ͟s̛omè.. i͟ss̶ue̡s. Onès Ì'v͝e̕ beén ́and s͘t̸i̧ll ͘h͡a̷v̡e͏ to҉ d͠e͘a̶ļ w̴i͞th̢.” He closed his eyes and gave a deep sigh. “S͞o̶ ͜pardo̧n m͠y ҉cru̷d҉i̸ţy,͡ ̀b͡u͏t I͢ c͘an͘n҉o̵t̕ allow̧ y͠o͢ù ͝p̴rivile҉ge ́tơ ̷y̴our͞ ow͘n w͠hi͜m̢s, as Į ̵h҉av͟e s͠eèn̡ ẃhe͜r̶e͡ t̴h͘at̴ has̨ ͏g̡ot̴ten̢ ͠m̵e͡.” He took a deep breath as he tapped his fingers. “So, to basically say-” Wirt said, opening his hazel eyes as he leaned forward, placing his elbows where his clenched hands once resided, his fingers pressing together into a thoughtful pyramid before pointing them at the two. “-you're grounded.” Bill looked though he would combust at that very moment, his teeth gnashing together as Finn's eyebrows raised high into his hairline, his own jaw falling even lower. Wirt looked between the two before waving his hand towards Finn, who immediately spoke.  
“Are you gonna bury us?!” Finn asked, worry etched into his voice. With a raised brow, Wirt shook his head.  
“No. Do you know what grounded means?” Finn tilted his head and rolled his shoulders.  
“Like what you do to potatoes?” Wirt’s face twisted into bemusement before shaking it again.  
“It means the restriction or bandment from one thing or multiple things. Often referring to various activities, such as hanging out with friends, staying up late,-” he looked pointedly at the two, “-going out.” He observed the two before leaning further forward. “I'll elaborate. You two are prohibited from wandering the Unknown and are only allowed where I permit,” He then spread his arms out, showing burn marks on his palms. “which is here at the Mill.”

“You incongruous, a̽͋̈͒ͧr̂ͨ̾cͦa̍ͫͫ̊n̈́̿̐̉͆ͦ̚e̓ͫͦ̓ͫͯ, e̓́͋ͪͥ͗͌̓n̎͑͌͗f̋ͥaͦ̃̊͐͌̚n̓͛͛ͩͥ̀͗ͦt̽ t̓̒̀̌ͫ́̐ͭͬ̍ͭ̔ͤ̐͑̔̐̏e̽ͫ͊̍̅̽̊̑̃͌͌ͤ̈̋̚rͭ̑ͬ̊̆͒̔̾̽r͒̈́̎͋ͨ̄̆̇͗ͪ͌͆͂̚i̍͋̽̅̔͋̆b̈́ͤͦ͐̽̈́̈l̈́͒ͮͬͥͣͧe̽ͯ͊̿̐̒͆͛̾́͂.” Bill spat with a curious bite, trying to keep his voice calm, tearing at the cushions beneath his dull nails. “Do you k͌̍ͨͧno̎ͮ͆ͭͫͤwͦ̈̇̍ to whom you are speaking? Can you even comprehend what you have just d́̀̄͋o̎̿̋̐ͭ̅ͯnͩ̋̈̈́̈̅eͩ? I am no mere child to be commanded by such l̓ͩͨͬ̾̚o͌̇̿̀w͑̈́̐̄̓ ̆l̉ͧ̿͒̋͒i̊́͒ͥ̔̃̓kͧ̾͛̍̅ė̽s̔̌̍ as yourself. You are not even Hͧ̾̾̚Ỉ̂̌̓ͩ͆Mͣ̉͋͌ͩͯ. You're just a scared little kid too cowardly to see the illusion that you have been lead to believe as real.” Bill then gave a smile, wide and broadening as his eyes continued to burn in fury. “But what can I expect from a a͑̿̓̔̓̍̈́pͨͬ̔́̚p̓a͌̾̾̄̾r̾́ͣ̌ͥi͛͛̔͋ͦtͣ̃̉̚iͬ̈́ͧ̒̇̅o͗n̿̍̍̚ t͛uͧ̽ͭ̎̎̾rͬͮ̓n̓̃ͤ͆̒e̅̌̐d ̈͂̐̉ͪi͛̎m̾p̅ͩ̿̄̈́̚̚.” Wirt simply stared at him, his eyes flashing white then multi colored in less half of a blink of an eye before returning to their hazel gaze, his face stern and unmoving. Abruptly, he stood, causing the chair to scrape across the floor before tipping over, landing with a thunk.  
He stared down at the ferocious demon with an apathetic glare before turning around, heading for the lantern. Bill’s smile became strained as the tall boy turned his back on him. “What? Can't handle some f̍̌̒̏̓̿acͦ͐ͭ̄̂̈͐tͨͩsͪͨ̊ͦ̃ͣ͂?”  
“Facts are not always truth.” Wirt replied as he picked up the lantern.

“Uh oh. You gotta get going.” Greg spoke up.  
“Wha-” I began, turning next to me to see nothing but empty space occupying where the boy once stood. Suddenly, small hands shoved themselves against my lower back, sending me through the now self opening window. As I flew out in a cloud of blue mist, gasps and a shout of confusion assaulted my reforming ears. The brume began to doctor itself back into my form, earning a call of my name.  
“Pine Tree!”  
“Dipper!” Okay. Name and given nickname. Once orientated, I readied to fly towards the two only to feel a sudden tug on my nape, keeping me put. I looked back to the lantern to see the small boy’s silhouette giving me a thumbs up as the holder of said lamp now held Finn’s face of astonishment, who’s now showed glee. Bill’s though, only held worry as his eyes turned dark red.  
“I thought I told you to run. Get out of here. Now.” I fought and pulled against the invisible hold, but could not move.  
“I can’t.” Beside me Wirt shook himself out of his daze and held up the lantern.  
“Begone spirit.” It swung back and forth as he thrust it into the air as nothing happened. Wirt’s eyes grew wide as he pulled it to himself and tried to open the latch. “Come on Greg. Help me out.” He whispered.  
“I am helping.” Greg replied in a echoed voice.  
“If you're helping me, then why is he still here?”  
“If I wasn't helping he would have left already.”  
“No, that's the opposite of helping.”  
“It's for your own good. You'll see.” And like that the silhouette faded from view.  
“Greg? Greg?! Get back here and explain. Greg.” Wirt gave up on the latch and sent a groaned “..abstruse little..” to the sky before looking back at me with colored eyes. He reached up, earning a hiss from the aggroed demon, and grasped at my ankle only to get a handful of air. He growled before standing tall and gave me a scowl.  
“Wh̨o ̢a͝r͢e̸ yòu̵ ̨a͝nd ̢wh͏at ҉are ̴y̢o̷u ̧d͡oin̢g h̶ere?” At that moment, I could feel myself look akin to a gaping goldfish before shutting my mouth with a clank and furrowed my own brows, imitating his.  
“I’m Dipper. And I am with these two.” I said, crossing my arms as I floated defensively between the two on the couch and the peeved figure before me. “And if you would be so kind as to release my friends and I of your spell, hex, curse or whatever it may be, and point is in the right direction. We’ll head off, out of your hair, and leave this ‘Unknown’ like we've been trying to since we got here.” Wirt's face suddenly grew glum, slow thing ever so subtly as the words reached his ears, eyes turning hazel again.  
“There is no way out.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoyed this first chapter. There are more to come. As of now I have not completed this story and do not fully know what tags to apply and will change it accordingly if I see need.


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